


Neverending Story

by LostKarma



Series: Miroh [1]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Bottom Han Jisung | Han, Bottom Lee Felix (Stray Kids), Bottom Lee Minho | Lee Know, Bottom Yang Jeongin | I.N, Drama, Drama & Romance, Eventual Smut, M/M, Magic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Top Bang Chan, Top Hwang Hyunjin, Top Kim Seungmin, Top Seo Changbin, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:02:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 32,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28493571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostKarma/pseuds/LostKarma
Summary: [ON HOLD]"Out of all the people I could get lost with, I'm actually kind of disappointed it's you."~H.JS***"And what would be the fun in that?"~H.HJ***"Can you remind me why I agreed to this?"~L.MH***"You may have the riches you always dreamed of, but will you continue to be happy with that alone?"~Y.JI***"How difficult is it to track down the only person in Miroh with pink hair?"~S.CB***"I can't just let my people suffer because I'm chasing after some fantasy."~B.C***"Please, just take my heart."~L.F***"The sooner we get this solved the sooner I can stop looking at your stupidly handsome face."~K.SM~~~~Spades, Diamonds, Clubs, and Hearts are the four kingdoms that rule over Miroh. Tensions are high between the four, but they will have to put their differences aside to stop a new threat.(Kind of like a wonderland based world but different)
Relationships: Bang Chan/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Han Jisung | Han/Kim Seungmin, Hwang Hyunjin/Yang Jeongin | I.N, Lee Felix/Seo Changbin
Series: Miroh [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116134
Comments: 26
Kudos: 61





	1. × One ×

_**L.MH** _

_**{Day 131}** _

The rhythmic ticking of the clock was usually a comforting reminder of silence for the King, but now it only fueled his anger. With each passing second, Minho's grumbling got louder and louder as his steps grew heavier and heavier. 

_ How could this happen?  _

With a huff of frustration, Minho threw open the door of his study and stomped off down the busy halls. Slow footsteps followed behind, subtly growing more and more distant from the King of Spades. 

Even the leopard beastmen guarding the halls avoided the King's proximity, sensing his fuming rage. They knew better than to block the king's path when he had such a determined look in his eyes.

_ I can't let him get away with this.  _

_He should know better than to do something like this_. 

"The King of Heart's is a fool for stealing from me during a time like this." Minho grumbled, heading straight for the front of the castle. 

"So what's your plan?" Changbin asked. 

"I'm going to pay that lousy King of Hearts a visit myself." Minho replied, rushing down the castle steps. 

"You do realize there is no solid evidence that it was Hearts who stole from you?" Changbin questioned, getting on his dark horse next to the King. 

"Then he won't mind me stopping by to prove his innocence." 

The crack of the reins had the King of Spades moving ahead, his Ace following closely behind. 

Minho didn't need evidence for this. He knew the Kingdom of Hearts was declining in wealth, so what would prevent them from stealing? 

It wasn't a smart move in Minho's eyes because of the tensions already being built between the four kingdoms, but then again Heart's was never one to think rationally. Their King was guided by emotion. Known in all the land for his kindness which was the main reason Spades and Hearts never really agreed when it came to how to rule. 

Minho scoffed thinking about the enemy. 

"Hearts is usually so against strategies like this, so what made him think he could suddenly steal from me and get away with it?" Minho chuckled in disbelief. "Did he finally throw his silly morals away?" 

"Again, there is no proof the King of Hearts-" 

"So you're siding against me?" Minho questioned, not believing his second in command would side with their life long enemy. 

"No, I'm just saying you're not thinking this through rationally." Changbin replied. "You usually keep a level head, so why is this moment so different?" 

To be honest, Minho wasn't sure himself. Maybe it was the overwhelming stress he was recently under? Or maybe it was the fact that he was frustrated that the King of Hearts could've had someone steal from him right under his nose. 

Entering the town of Spades, Minho kept his eyes forward. He knew the people were too busy with their scholarly studies or basic duties to truly notice the King's presence as he passed through. 

"Minho!" A voice called out, making the King turn his head towards the familiar voice. 

"Chan?" Minho questioned, turning his horse to ride over to the King of Clubs and his Ace. "What are you doing here?" 

"I was coming to see you on account that there's been a few murders in my kingdom." Chan replied, turning his horse to walk alongside Minho. 

"And you think it was someone from my kingdom?" Minho asked, his tone appalled if it was an accusation from an ally and close friend. 

Chan shook his head. "No, I was just coming to see if you've had anything similar happen?" 

Minho shook his head. "Nothing has been brought to my attention, but I'll keep an eye out." 

"So why are you in town?" Chan asked, looking around like he could've missed something. "You don't usually just wander around the kingdom without a reason." 

"Something of mine was stolen, and I have suspicions it was the King of Hearts doing." Minho replied. "I was on my way there when you arrived." 

Chan had a brow raised at Minho's statement. "You think the King of Heart's stole from you? I know I'm one of your closest friends, but even I think that's a little far fetched." 

"I tried to tell him that." Changbin said from behind the two. 

"Is there any proof?" Chan asked. 

"Hearts are Spades' biggest enemy and with the way things are going now, I wouldn't put it past him to steal from me." Minho replied, the four nearing the edge of town. 

"Minho, you don't want to be the reason a war breaks out now." Chan tried to reason. "You can't just blame someone without any evidence. You of all people should know that." 

"Are you questioning my judgement?" Minho asked, sort of hurt that his childhood friend didn't believe him. 

"Yes, I am." Chan replied. "We should just call a meeting between the four kingdoms and try to sort things out peacefully. Besides, with the murders in my kingdom it may serve us all some good to talk about some things." 

Minho took in a deep breath, his anger finally starting to fizzle out. He let it out in the form of a sigh, his mind clearing out a bit. 

"Very well. We can call a meeting." Minho agreed, knowing it was for the best. 

"Good. Since we're out, why don't we pick them up on the way to Star Temple?" Chan suggested. 

Minho nodded, but didn't say anything more as they left the town of Spades. He knew the trip to Hearts and Diamonds would be a little tricky since the two Kingdoms both had their qualms with them. 

The ally system got a bit messy when it came to the four. Spades and Hearts were enemies while Clubs and Diamonds were. Spades was allies with Clubs, but Clubs still traded and did things with Hearts while Spades traded and communicated with Diamonds. Of course, it got tricky when it came down to their kingdom meetings and none of them could truly ever agree on anything. 

Minho glanced over to Chan, the other king speaking with the Clubs Ace Seungmin. The King of Spades let his eyes linger on the other, noticing how Chan seemed to be gaining some more muscle. 

In Minho's eyes, Chan was an attractive looking guy. He had strong yet soft features and was a hardworking and considerate person. It actually surprised Minho that Chan wasn't married or dating anyone yet, but a part of him was a little relieved. 

The two had grown up together and Minho had slowly began to see Chan as more than a friend as they got older. He was happy just to have him close, feeling comforted by the older's presence, but Chan was as oblivious as one could get. 

Minho had tried confessing before, but his words just went over the other King's head. While Clubs was known and respected for their hard working nature, intelligence was left for the Spades. 

"Minho?" Chan's voice broke past Minho's thoughts. "What do you think?" 

"Sorry, what did you say?" Minho asked, keeping his eyes forward and his face expressionless though his ears were becoming red. 

"I said we should have you go to Diamonds and I'll go to Hearts." Chan said. "That way there won't be so much alarm and tension." 

Minho nodded knowing that was the best option for avoiding conflict, but he was still upset he couldn't confront the King of Hearts first. 

"Then I'll see you at Star Temple." Minho said, turning his horse at the fork in the road. 

"Can't wait." Chan replied, the two Clubs disappearing from view. 

It was silent for a moment again until Changbin spoke. "So you listen to Chan but not to me?" He asked, riding up next to Minho. His brow was raised and his voice was insinuating something. 

"Maybe I think Chan has better judgement." Minho argued. 

"So it's not because you like him?" 

Minho reached over and shoved Changbin to the side, almost knocking the other from his horse. 

Changbin usually just watched things in silence, so it was easy to forget he was around sometimes. It was kind of scary because the Ace knew more than he probably should just from observing from a distance. 

"Even if I did it's not like he'd ever feel the same way." Minho said. "I'm content with just being friends and allies." 

Changbin rolled his eyes and moved his horse ahead. "Whatever you say, your majesty." 

**×××× ××××**

_**H.JS** _

_**{Day 131}** _

Violence wasn't completely unheard of in the Kingdom of Hearts, but it was very rare. Especially with a heart missing from the body. The strange part of it all was the fact that the body was mostly in tact though, hardly a scratch on her. 

Jisung stuck close to the king's side as the casket was lowered into the ground, the family breaking down into tears as their loved one was buried in the kingdom's cemetery. 

The King of Hearts moved quickly over to the family and Jisung followed closely, waiting as the king gave his genuine sympathy towards the loss. 

Jisung's mind was occupied by the strange murder, or series of murders that have happened in the last few days. He was pretty sure this girl was the fourth victim, all of them missing their hearts, but their bodies seemingly untouched. Even a few people have been reported missing which Lunette was already leading a troop for. It was slall very strange. 

_ Magic maybe?  _

"Jisung, we can go now." The king said, breaking the Ace's thoughts. 

Jisung stuck close to the younger as they entered the town. Banners of the mourning were hung up and people were adorned in black, going about their day with a somberness. Everyone in Hearts was close with one another. They were social by nature and hardly had any sorts of issues with anyone. It was sad to think someone they knew could be a culprit in all this. 

"Tonight I'm going to patrol the streets." The king said, his voice low and serious. 

"But you shouldn't-" 

"I'm not about to let any more people die." 

"And I'm not about to let you get killed." Jisung argued. "We don't know what we're up against, Felix." 

"So that's what I'm going to find out." The younger said. 

"You're the King of Hearts, you're the last person we need in trouble." Jisung argued. "Besides, I'm sure Spades is just waiting for an opportunity to attack 

"They won't attack us." Felix said, his voice going quiet. 

Jisung looked at his friend with disbelief. "Have you seen the way Minho looks at you? He is just waiting for you to slip up." 

"Changbin would keep him level headed." Felix replied. 

"Oi Felix!" A voice called out, making both Hearts turn. 

Jisung chased after the king as he ran happily to greet his friend. 

"Chan?" Felix questioned. "What are you doing here?" 

"Spades and I have decided to declare a meeting at Star Temple." Chan replied, his eyes darting around the town. "You had a funeral today?" 

"More like several in the last few days." Jisung replied. 

"Maybe we can talk about it more on the way to Star Temple?" Felix questioned, though it was more a demand. It felt wrong to discuss such a thing while everyone around them was still mourning. "Jisung and I will go fetch our-" 

"No need." Chan said, reaching down towards Felix. "Seungmin and I will give you a lift." 

"But-" 

"Don't worry about it. Besides, we should beat the other two kingdoms so we can call dibs on the best rooms." Chan said. 

"You think we'll need to be there for more than a day?" Felix asked. 

"It's always a possibility." 

Jisung watched as his king took Chan's hand and was easily lifted up behind the King of Clubs. The Ace was a little cautious about this since Clubs was allies with their biggest threat, but Chan was always very nice to Felix and him. 

"Jealous?" A voice asked as a hand reached down into Jisung's line of sight. 

The Ace followed the arm up to see Seungmin, the other looking amused as Jisung rolled his eyes. 

"Of course I get stuck with you." Jisung huffed, grabbing the other's hand. 

With a little help up, Jisung sits behind the other Ace uncomfortably. 

It wasn't that Jisung hated Seungmin. He just saw the other as...a competitor. Everytime they had to be in the same room together there was always something they had to compete over and determine who was the best. 

"You should put your arms around me so you don't fall." Seungmin said, wrapping his hand's in the reins. 

"I think I'll pass. I don't-" 

The quick take off of the horse had Jisung instinctively wrapping his arms tightly around the other's waist. He hated feeling to vulnerable and at the other's mercy. 

Laughter filled Jisung's ears and he rolled his eyes, still not letting go. He wasn't happy about the predicament but he also wasn't about to fall off the horse. 

Behind them, Jisung could hear Chan scolding the Ace for creating such a scene while the town was in a state of sadness. 

The two kings caught up to the Aces, the four leaving the kingdom together to head to the center of Miroh. 

Despite the constant arguing and tension that happened when all the Kingdoms met in the neutral zone, Jisung really enjoyed Star Temple. It was in a very secluded part of the woods and the scenery was really beautiful. Hus favorite place was the waterfall that was behind the temple, the river flowing under the main structure. 

"Just a warning, Minho is probably going to confront you about something." Chan said as they rode down the forest trail. 

"About what?" Felix asked. 

"He thinks you stole something from him." Chan replied. 

Jisung suddenly went into defensive mode, not liking such an accusation. 

"Felix and I have been dealing with the deaths of our people. We wouldn't have the time to steal from someone as stuck up as him." Jisung said. "Besides, why would we steal? It goes against all of our morals." 

"Does he have any proof it was a Heart that stole from him?" Felix asked. 

"It didn't sound like it." Chan replied. "Even Changbin was trying to calm him down." 

"He's always the one that is constantly needing evidence for things. Why attack us for no reason?" Jisung questioned, though he wasn't completely surprised. Minho was always ready to point blame against Hearts. 

"I'll deal with it when we see him. I'm sure he's just stressed out like the rest of us are." Felix said. "Anyway, Chan, you mentioned that Clubs experienced some murders too?" 

Chan nodded. "We've only had two so far, but we do have a few missing. There was something odd though. The victims' hearts were missing." 

As the two kings continued their talk, Jisung focused on the way his arms were still around Seungmin's waist. He was tempted to let go but was scared the other would pull another stunt that had Jisung surrendering again. 

"You don't have to hold on to me so tighty." Seungmin said. "Unless you-" 

"I wouldn't have to if you were a little less reckless with your horseback riding." Jisung argued, loosening his grip a little. 

"I have to keep you on your toes." Seungmin replied. "Can't have the Ace of Hearts getting too comfortable around a possibly enemy." 

"Who said I was comfortable?" Jisung questioned, hoping the ride wouldn't be as long as he felt it was going to be. 

"Are you uncomfortable because I make your heart skip a beat?" Seungmin teased. 

Jisung fake vomited. "You wish. If anything my heart skips a beat because it's contemplating putting me out of my misery being in your presence." 

"Then I guess I'll have to try harder to get your heart to make the right decision." Seungmin said witha chuckle. 

The two fell into a silence and Jisung tried not to think about how he'd have to see Seungmin for much longer than he wanted to. He's tried to hide or avoid the other before, but they had a knack for finding each other. 

**×××× ××××**

_**Y.JI** _

_**{Day 131}** _

A movement stirred the Ace awake, his eyes catching the king wrapping a blanket around his nude body. The one Jeongin had seen and touched many times before, yet was still so distant from. 

"Good morning." Jeongin greeted with a tired smile. "Did you sleep-" 

The Ace stopped speaking as Hyunjin stood up from the bed and avoided his touch. The action wasn't anything new, but it still hurt just as deeply as it did the first time. 

Jeongin knew from the beginning he wasn't supposed to get attached. The king was just following his desires and the Ace was just a way to get what he wanted. There were no feelings behind what they did. 

Jeongin watched as the King of Diamonds entered the bathroom without a word, shutting the door to seal himself away. The Ace never seeing his face. It was like this everytime. 

Jeongin pushed back the covers, exposing his naked body to the cool room. He began to sit up on the mattress, wincing at the pain he felt in his backside. He slowly reached down for his clothes that were still littered on the floor beside him, noticing a few darker spots littering his thighs. 

There was a knock on the door, and Jeongin quickly tossed his clothes on, not bothering to button the white shirt up all the way as he walked over. He turned the gold handle and pulled it open, Folic standing at the door. 

"Spades is here to speak with the king." Folic said, the fox beastman not commenting on the disheveled appearance of the other. 

"I will let him know." Jeongin replied with a smile. "Thanks." 

The fox left and Jeongin closed the door, running his hand through his bright red locks. 

_ What would the King of Spades be doing here?  _

Spades was no stranger to Diamonds. They did a lot of trading with one another but that wasn't usually done face to face between the kings. 

_ Is something wrong?  _

The bathroom door opened and Hyunjin walked out in a robe, going over to his large closet. He didn't even spare the Ace a glance, turning his back to him as he looked through his closet. 

"The King of Spades is here to see you." Jeongin said, sticking by the door to give the other plenty of space. 

An annoyed sigh filled the room as Hyunjin began to pull down the usual dark blue and white attire of Diamonds. 

"Why don't you wash up and then meet us down?" Hyunjin suggested, though it was clearly a demand. 

"Of course." Jeongin replied, moving swiftly towards the bathroom. 

His eyes lingered on Hyunjin's back as he closed the door. The higher up not even glancing his way. 

The King of Diamonds was usually sort of direct and cold shouldered, but Jeongin had gotten to see other parts of the king as well. The sweet and loving side that no one else knew about. The problem was, Hyunjin loved money and pleasure more than anything else. 

Jeongin couldn't help but think the sweet words Hyunjin spoke everytime they slept together was just a facade to reel Jeongin in. To wrap the Ace around his finger even more. 

Jeongin wasn't stupid, he knew the king was using him like some kind of whore, but maybe Jeongin was being just as selfish? 

The King of Diamonds only cared about one thing and that was his precious money, jewels, and other materialistic things. Hyunjin didn't care about others feelings, he could be anyone you wanted if it meant he gained something out of it. 

While some would see it as manipulative or conniving, Jeongin saw it as a way of survival for the king. 

_ One day, you'll decide you don't need me anymore. You'll find your queen and I'll be nothing more than a distant memory.  _

Jeongin walked over to the tub and turned on the water. He let it flow for a little bit before plugging it to let it fill. 

Jeongin stripped back down and stepped into the frigid water. Goosebumps immediately appeared on his skin, but the Ace didn't mind. He was used to it. 

Submerging himself under, Jeongin's body quickly adjusted, only finding the air cold after resurfacing. His fingers pushed the hair out of his eyes and he reached for the shampoo nearby. 

He tried to wash himself quickly, not wanting to keep the others waiting. After rinsing out his hair twice after shampooing and conditioning, Jeongin scrubbed his body down. 

He unplugged the tub and reached for the nearby towel as the water slowly drained. Drying himself off, Jeongin walked over to one of the drawers in the corner of the bathroom. He pulled it open and grabbed the spare clothes he kept stocked there for moments like these. 

A knock on the bathroom door had the Ace flinching as he buttoned his pants. 

"Jeongin, I don't mean to rush you but the King requests your presence." Folic's voice said from behind the door. 

"I'll be down in a second." Jeongin replied, his fingers fumbling with the buttons on his white shirt. 

He slipped on the dark blue leather vest and tied it tightly around him. While Hyunjin liked to wear loose fitting clothing, he made Jeongin wear things that were a bit tighter to his body. 

Exiting the bathroom, Jeongin grabbed his dark brown boots and slipped them on. He strapped the sword around his waist as he left the king's bedroom, navigating his way to the front of the castle where he assumed they would be. 

He passed by a few more fox beastmen doing their rounds and waved. As he got closer he could hear the echo of familiar voices in the hallway. 

"This is ridiculous." Hyunjin's voice echoed as Jeongin approached them. "But if it has to be done then there is no helping it." 

"What's going on?" Jeongin asked, all eyes turning to him except Hyunjin's. 

"There's a meeting called at Star Temple." Minho replied. "Clubs has had a few murders and would like to speak with the rest of us about it." 

Jeongin nodded and the four walked down the steps of the castle, four horses waiting for them. 

Jeongin approached his horse, patting her neck before mounting the saddle. Hyunjin was in front of him, still seeming to ignore his presence. 

The king's back was all Jeongin could see, making the other look down to the ground. The reality of their dynamic suddenly filling his mind. 

_I will never be able to stand beside you, will I?_

"Hurry up or you'll fall behind." Changbin said, snapping the younger from his thoughts. 

The two kings were already up ahead, Changbin catching up to them. 

Flicking the reins, the Ace of Diamonds followed behind. Hyunjin's back the only thing in Jeongin's view. 

**×××× ××××**

_**B.C** _

_**{Day 131}** _

Star Temple was like a sanctuary to the King of Clubs. His kingdom was always constanly working and moving, so being in a place surrounded by nature calmed him. Gave his mind time to relax and think. 

Dismounting from his horse, Chan then helped Felix down. The King of Hearts' waist practically disappeared in Chan's grasp and the King of Clubs wondered if the other had been eating properly. Felix had always been more on the slimmer side but now it seemed to be even more so. 

The King of Heart's thanked Chan, both turning their heads at the commotion beside them. 

Jisung's body seemed limp and was supported by Seungmin's arms, having clearly fallen or stumbled down from the horse. The Ace of Hearts was scolding the other for making him fall causing Chan to chuckle. 

He knew there was something more between the two then they seemed to admit. It was obvious by the way they constantly bickered, yet never got into a serious fight. Chan even caught on to their side glances to one another from time to time when they thought no one else was looking. 

_ They are so blind.  _

"Jisung, stop hitting Seungmin." Felix said, making the Ace pout. 

"He started it." Jisung accused, pointing to the youngest as he walked over to his king.

Seungmin just smiled innocently, and Chan rolled his eyes with a chuckle. Seungmin had an innocent looking face and demeanor, but the kid could be a demon if he wanted to be. 

"Let's get inside and pick rooms." Chan said, hoping the two Aces would relax a little. 

The four entered the temple, the large meeting table still sat perfectly in the center of the room. The banners of the kingdoms each hung behind a side of the table, labeling their places. 

Leaving the main room, the four walked over a small bridge to another small building which housed the bedrooms. 

"So which room do you want?" Chan asked, peering into each one. They mostly looked the same but two were larger than the others and had some nicer bedding. 

Why they didn't just bring better items, no one was really sure. 

"I don't know." Felix replied, his eyes darting from room to room. "I know Hyunjin will want this room." He said motioning towards the back right room which was the largest and best room. "And I think Minho would want that one." 

"I didn't asked what rooms the others would want." Chan said, knowing the King of Hearts refrained from being selfish which could make him seem like a push over at times. 

"I...Which room do you want?" Felix asked the blonde. 

"I asked you first." 

"Ugh, could you two stop flirting. Felix, were staying in this room." Jisung said, pulling the younger into the nearest room. It was one that the Heart duo stayed in often. 

Chan laughed as he picked the one across from the pair of Hearts. 

"Looks like you two were smart in your choosing." Chan heard Minho's voice say. 

Chan poked his head out from the room, feeling the heavy tension as the King of Spades eyed Felix. 

"I hope you four had a safe trip." Felix said, smiling. 

"Should we start the meeting?" Minho asked, ignoring the other's statement and looking to Chan. 

"I guess so." Chan replied, following the other kings back over the bridge. 

The Aces stayed behind, they didn't usually join the meetings but they also never really showed any interest to. Chan was somewhat jealous of them. 

Taking his seat at his spot around the table, Chan looked to Minho across from him. 

"I heard there were murders committed in your kingdom?" Hyunjin asked, his voice sounding unamused like always. 

Chan nodded. "Yes, two murders and a few of my people are still missing." 

"Four of my people have also been murdered, a few missing as well." Felix said, looking somber as he said it. "Their hearts were missing but their bodies were hardly touched." 

"What do you mean?" Hyunjin asked, his voice peaked with interest now. 

"The bodies are left pale, their hearts missing but there is only one slash on their body where there heart should be." Chan replied, recalling the young boy he had seen earlier that morning. The thought bringing his happier demeanor down a little. 

"I also noticed a strange mark on the victims." Felix said. "There was a strange mark on their bodies. They would be in different places but it was always the same shape." 

Chan looked to Felix. "Was it shaped like a cog? Like one you find in a clock?" 

Felix nodded. 

"Diamonds and I have yet to receive any report of missing people or murders." Minho said, his eyes shifting dangerously to the King of Hearts. "But I did have something stolen from me." 

"What was it?" Felix asked. 

"A pocket watch my father gave to me." Minho replied. "It's quite valuable." 

"I'll keep an eye out for it." Felix replied. 

A silence fell upon the table, and Chan knew it would be best to try and direct the conversation back to the murders. The way Minho was killing Felix with his glare, made the King of Clubs genuinely worried. 

"So what should we do about the murders?" Chan asked. "It seems they are all connected and it may only be a matter of time before the killer reaches your kingdoms." 

Hyunjin scoffed. "He wouldn't make it inside my kingdom. A filthy killer has no place walking in my kingdoms streets." 

"He wouldn't survive our traps and defense mechanisms we have." Minho said. "My people are too smart to get killed." 

Chan rolled his eyes, his nice guy persona suddenly shifting. "If you're insinuating that Hearts and I are inferior to you two, I suggest you tread lightly, yeah?" 

"I'm not saying that at all." Minho replied, his eyes genuine as he looked at Chan. "But Hearts lacks the money to build any grand emergency measures or even fix up that old stone wall that's crumbling around their kingdom." 

"I've been working on it." Felix said, his voice meek. 

"Has your "working on it" entitled stealing for your closest enemy?" Minho asked, the accusation suddenly becoming clear at the table. 

Felix's eyes suddenly turned cold. "You really think I stole from you? Why would I do that?" 

"Because you saw that your people were dying and the way to-" 

"Minho, I wouldn't steal from you. Or anyone else for that matter." Felix interrupted, his voice and expression softening. 

"If you two are just going to argue the whole time, I think I'm just going to leave." Hyunjin said, pushing his chair out. 

"You aren't going anywhere." Chan said, his voice lowering. "Besides what else do you have to do? Laze around on your throne while your people earn you money." 

Hyunjin's eyes narrowed and Chan knew he hit a nerve. 

"What earn and how I earn it is none of your business." Hyunjin said. 

"Have you even done any hard work in your life?" Chan asked the other. "Or have you always just reveled in the fact that you were born with a silver spoon? Other people are beneath you, yeah?" 

"At least I don't work so much that I can't enjoy the pleasure of other things like leisure and love." Hyunjin argued. 

"Love? You have no room to lecture me about love." Chan said, never once seeing the King of Diamonds show any kind of love unless it involved riches. 

Hyunjin parted his lips to speak but both of them turned their heads back in Minho and Felix's direction. 

"You have no right being a king if you can't even protect your people. You're incompetent as a leader and selfish if you think your people can keep on living the way they do without any sort of consequence." Minho yelled. "Hearts deserves someone better than you and would thrive if you just stepped down." 

Chan watched as Felix's eyes turned glossy, his adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. 

Even Hyunjin looked a little sympathetic towards the King of Hearts. Minho's rage was nothing short of intense. 

"I apologize for being so incompetent." Felix said, pushing his chair back. "Why don't we continue this later? I can have Jisung take my place instead, if you'd like?" 

"Sounds perfect." Minho replied, sitting back in his seat after standing to show dominance earlier. 

Felix nodded and walked off, leaving the other three in the room. A heavy tension lingered and Chan felt drained. 

_ This is not going as well as I hoped.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter.


	2. × Two ×

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if there are any typos, I don't usually proof read but hopefully if there is a mistake you aren't too bothered by it. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

**L.F**

**{Day 131}**

Tears began to fall from the king as walked into the woods, hoping to find some peace to clear his head. 

What Minho said was nothing he hadn't heard before. Spades had always called Hearts into question because he claimed they followed their hearts and not their heads, which was true at times. But with the recent decline of money, Felix had been seeing the reality of the other's words and it hit deeper than it should've. 

_ Maybe I really should step down? Jisung would make a great king.  _

"Felix?" A familiar voice questioned, making the King wipe his tears away quickly before turning around with a weak smile. 

"Hi Changbin." Felix greeted, hoping the other wouldn't notice the red around his eyes or the tear stained cheeks. "Have you seen Jisung? I need to speak with him." 

"He's sparring with Seungmin in the courtyard." Changbin replied.

Felix nodded, his lips tightening in a grateful smile as he started to walk away from the Ace of Spades. 

"Wait." Changbin said, his hand trapping the king's wrist. "What happened in there? Who made you cry?" 

Felix held a weak smile. "No one did, I just got a little overwhelmed is all." 

Changbin raised his brow, clearly not believing his answer. "It was Minho, wasn't it?" 

Felix nodded hesitantly. "But it wasn't-" 

"I told him not to accuse you of anything." Changbin interrupted, his hand moving to hold Felix's. The warmth from the other was comforting. "That watch just meant a lot to him, and I guess he just thought it would be easy to pin it on you." 

"I'm not cut out for being king, so I don't blame him." Felix replied. "Jisung will join them once they meet up again." 

"You're the King of Hearts, Felix. Don't feel inferior just because you don't always think the way they do." Changbin said, squeezing the other's hand in emphasis.

"Thanks Binnie." Felix leaned in and pressed a kiss to the other's cheek, catching the Ace off guard. "I should find Jisung now, but I appreciate your encouragement." 

Felix ran off, feeling slightly embarrassed by what he did, but it wasn't like he hadn't done it before. 

All the late nights spent sneaking out to meet the other came rushing back to his head, and the king smiled. 

Even now, Felix wasn't sure how it happened. He had fallen in love with the other at some point. He was sure the feelings were always there since they first met but they slowly grew over time. 

At first it was just physical attraction, but after spending more time with Changbin during their stay at Star Temple, Felix fell in love with everything about the other. 

They'd secretly been dating for a few months now when Felix decided to confess and the other agreed. 

It was forbidden, yet something about it felt right. 

Changbin was still getting used to the touchy-feely sort of aspects of it, but Felix didn't mind. He was just happy the other had felt the same way. 

Walking over a bridge, Felix could hear the bickering of familiar voices. He chuckled to himself as he walked around the side of the main building to the courtyard. 

Seungmin was on the ground, Jisung pinning him down while Jeongin watched from the steps. The three clearly having fun. 

"Alright, you win this round." Seungmin said, the Ace of Hearts dropping the other's arm with a victorious smile. 

_ If only the kings could get along as well as the Aces did.  _

"Hey Jisung, can I speak with you a minute?" Felix called out, his friend glancing over. 

Jisung nodded with a smile before trotting over quickly.

"What's up?" The older asked. 

"Could you do me a favor and stand in for me during the next meeting?" Felix asked. 

"Did something happen?" Jisung asked, his voice becoming more worried. 

"I just don't think Minho really wants to listen to me, so you might have a better chance at getting through to everyone." Felix replied. "I hate to make you do this but-" 

"It's fine." Jisung assured quickly. "I can handle it." 

Felix smiled guiltily. "Thanks, I appreciate it." 

"Why don't you get some rest? You look a little tired." Jisung suggested. "I'll wake you before dinner." 

"Thanks." Felix replied, turning to walk back towards the rooms. 

He was tired, but he didn't plan on sleeping. Star Temple was a neutral space where he didn't have to sneak around and worry about treason or trespassing on enemy ground. 

Walking back into the woods, Felix hoped Changbin was still around. 

_ I should've told him to wait.  _

Walking further into the woods, Felix stopped by a tree and looked around. There was a flash of something to hus right, but Felix assumed it was just a bird by how quick it seemed to move into the trees. 

Letting out a sigh, Felix began walking again. Each step slowly grew heavier and Felix found it more difficult to move. It was like his fatigue was finally reaching him. 

Tiredness washed over him so quickly, it felt like the weight of the world was suddenly on his shoulders. His knees buckled, and the King of Hearts reached his hand out. A tree supporting his weight as he slowly sank to the ground, resting his back against the trunk. 

His chest began to tighten, making it difficult to breathe. Even the oxygen felt heavy in his lungs, the air suddenly turning bitter like the cold winter. 

Goosebumps arose on his skin and the king curled up as he body trembled. 

_ What's going on?  _

A high pitched scream filled the woods, birds all flying from the trees. Felix struggled to get to his feet, wanting to search for the source of of distress. 

Three steps forward had Felix collapsing to the ground with nothing to support him. He curled up, the cold in his body becoming almost hot. 

The king's eyes squeezed shut, trying to focus on warming himself up. 

"Felix!" A voice yelled out, making the King open his eyes. 

The group was all running towards him, Jisung the first to get to Felix. The Ace looked extremely worried as he rested his hand against the king's forehead. 

Jisung's hands were warm against the younger's skin, making Felix nuzzle his face into the touch. He didn't want the heat to disappear. 

"You're freezing." Jisung commented as Felix closed his eyes again, focusing on the warmth. 

Another hand reached his forehead, but reeled away as soon as it touched the other. 

"How is he not dead?" Jeongin questioned, his voice sounding worried. 

"Why don't the rest of you go on ahead, I'm going to bring Felix inside." Jisung said. 

"I'll help you." Changbin offered and Felix opened his eyes again. 

Jisung flashed a glare to the other as he scooped up the King of Hearts. "I think I can handle it on my own." 

Changbin just nodded in return and chased after the others, leaving the two Hearts to head back to the temple. 

"You could've let him help." Felix mumbled, his voice trembling along with his body. 

"Him and his king have no business in caring about your well being, not after Spades made you feel so dejected during the meeting." Jisung replied, his tone serious. 

"How did you-" 

"Chan told me. He was worried about you." Jisung informed. "But if I find out Spades had something to do with you being like this- " 

"They didn't, I can promise you that." Felix assured, his body feeling a little warmer as they crossed the bridge. The king was still cradled in the Ace's arms. "Still you shouldn't be mad at Changbin or the rest of Spades because of what Minho did." 

"They're all the same." Jisung replied coldly. 

Felix knew Jisung was a loving and caring guy and that his anger towards their enemy was only going to be temporary. The Ace just cared a lot for the king so if someone had a vendetta against Felix, Jisung would be quick to protect. 

"Changbin isn't Minho." Felix replied, wishing Jisung wouldn't hate the person he loves or generalize the rest of Spades. "Just like you aren't me." 

It was quiet for a moment before Jisung let out a sigh. "You're too kind for your own good. It's okay to be angry and selfish sometimes, you know? It's okay to be speak up for yourself." 

Felix nodded. He knew. He knew it was only human nature to be angry or selfish, so he fought hard against himself to keep up an image. He didn't want to be all the things his father was. 

"Thanks Jisung." 

**×××× ××××**

_**K.SM** _

_**{Day 131}** _

The scream was what alerted them that danger was around. They just happened to find the King of Hearts on their way to the source of the distress call which was a good thing. Felix had looked like a corpse already, his skin pale, lips almost blue, and his skin was ice cold according to Jisung and Jeongin. 

It reminded the Ace of the corpses they had seen in Clubs. 

Seungmin felt bad for the other, but also curious about the whole situation. People knew to stay away from Star Temple and it's territory, so knowing someone was out there made Seungmin wonder. 

"Up there." Hyunjin said, pointing a little to the left. 

The group of six ran over quickly, the Aces all drawing their swords as they approached a body. It was also similar to the corpses found in Clubs. 

Chan crouched down next to the woman's body and slowly reached out to her shirt. He seemed hesitant as he moved the fabric out of the way to reveal where her heart would be. Just like the rest, it was gone. 

"This is exactly what we've been seeing in Clubs." Chan said, bringing the shirt fabric back down carefully 

Minho lifted up the woman's arm which revealed a familiar looking mark which was shaped as a cog just like the others. 

"Her body is so cold." Minho commented, gently setting the woman's arm back on to the ground. 

"If she died just now, her body wouldn't look like this already, would it?" Hyunjin asked, the King of Diamonds turning away from it, looking like he was about to vomit. 

From what Seungmin knew, Diamonds and Spades both cremated their dead. They hardly-if ever- saw a dead body before. 

"No, they shouldn't. Usually there would still be some...life to them." Chan replied. 

"So what should we do with her body?" Jeongin asked, standing behind the King of Diamonds. "It doesn't appear she belongs to pur kingdom." 

"Spades either." Minho replied, Chan still looking over the woman's body and clothes for any sort of indication of where she came from. "Our people know not to tread in this area." 

"I don't recognize her." Chan said, giving up the search for any sort of identification. He looked to Seungmin as if the Ace would know. 

"I don't recognize her either. Her clothes don't indicate she's from Hearts either." Seungmin said. 

"So we have a Jane Doe and-" 

A rustling in the trees had Minho silenced, Seungmin standing defensively near Chan, ready to protect the king from harm. 

Unlike the kings, Aces always had their weapons handy. They were second in command afterall and dealt with most of the military aspects. 

Chan especially hated carrying a weapon around, insisting that he didn't want others to feel threatened by his presence. 

A rhythmic ticking filled the silence and Seungmin looked around, the others looking equally as confused by the noise. 

"No one has a watch on do they?" Minho asked, not earning a single reply. 

A swift shadow moved in the treetops and Seungmin trained his eyes to the branches above. 

He was not about to be ambushed by surprise and face the constant teasing from Jisung when the other found out. 

A clicking chatter was suddenly heard above the ticking noise, and then both were replaced by the leaves rustling again. 

The group waited a few seconds, completely still. Seungmin waited for anything to jump out at them, but it was completely silent. 

Seungmin let himself relax until a twig snapped. He quickly turned and pointed his sword out, the other Aces doing the same. All of their blades were now pointed at a terrified and shocked looking Jisung. 

"Whoa, calm down, I'm not a monster." Jisung said, the others letting out a breath of relief upon seeing a familiar face. 

"Could've fooled me." Seungmin muttered, feeling the other's sharp glare on him. 

Before the Ace of Hearts could've verbally attack him, Chan spoke. "How's Felix?" 

"Color is returning to him, but he's resting now." Jisung said. "He should be fine." 

Seungmin could've sworn he saw a large amount of relief wash over Changbin at Jisung's words, but the Ace of Clubs shook it off. Spades hated Hearts, so there was no way one of them would be worried about Felix. If anything the relief was because they wouldn't be pinned for the murder of a king. 

"Do you recognize this woman?" Jeongin asked, motioning to the corpse that lied peacefully on the grassy patch of the ground. 

Jisung shook his head. "I don't." 

"Then perhaps we should bury her here?" Chan suggested. "Since she is from none of our kingdoms." 

"Sounds fine to me." Hyunjin said, his voice laced with a desperation to rid the body from his sight. 

"Then let's go get some supplies." Chan said, leading the group back to the temple. 

Seungmin glanced back at the woman's body, trying to understand and piece together why she could've possibly been there, and why she was killed the way she was. Why so many were killed in the same fashion, Seungmin wanted to figure out. 

Glancing over, the Ace of Clubs noticed Jisung with his bottom lips trapped between his teeth in worry. 

While Seungmin enjoyed teasing and sparring with the other (maybe a little too much), he still felt compassion for the other. 

"Something bothering you?" Seungmin asked, slowing his steps to match Jisung's. The others slowly began to pull away from them. 

"What does it matter to you?" Jisung asked. "Won't you just go to run off and tell Spades that their enemy is vulnerable?" 

"After all we've been through you're going to accuse me of being a tattle-tale?" Seungmin asked, pretending to be offended. He hoped Jisung would lighten up a little, but he still seemed down. So, Seungmin got more serious which wasn't usual for the two. "I'm not that cruel, Jisung. Clubs may be allies with Spades, but that doesn't mean we don't care about you, or Diamonds for that matter. We're all still people and should respect each other." 

Jisung choked out a chuckle. "That sounds like something Felix would say." 

"He's not wrong though." Seungmin replied. "So tell me what's wrong? I won't laugh or make fun of you if that's what you're worried about?" 

Jisung shook his head. "I just...I'm worried about Felix. He says he's fine, but I can see the pain in his eyes. I can hear the cry for help behind his lies, but I can't do anything to help him." 

"I think you help just by being by his side." Seungmin replied, feeling a bit awkward since they went back and forth without bickering once in the last couple of seconds. "He relies on you a lot even if it doesn't seem like it." 

"Then why won't he let me help him more? He hasn't been eating properly for the past couple weeks." Jisung suddenly confessed. "Since we're losing money, our supplies for farming and even for trading have decreased tremendously. Our people have to ration their meals now and Felix has skipped meals, insisting that his share be saved for the townsfolk." 

Seungmin didn't like the sound of that. Clubs had never witnessed a famine before, so he couldn't imagine the feeling of not eating until he was full. He knew it was a difficult situation though. Food was a basic necessity for human life. 

"Maybe if you speak with Chan, Clubs can-" 

"No." Jisung said quickly, his tone sharp and stern. "You can't tell him. Felix would be upset." 

"You guys can't just starve though." Seungmin tried to reason. "Clubs really wouldn't mind." 

"I'll speak with Felix about it, but you can't tell anyone else, okay?" Jisung said, earning a nod from Seungmin. "It's bad enough that the other kingdoms know Hearts is struggling with money. The last thing we need is for them to know how badly things are getting. We couldn't handle an attack, not now." 

"Then my lips are sealed." Seungmin replied, tossing away a fake key after he zipped his lips. 

Jisung rolled his eyes. "They better be or else I'll hunt you down and kill you myself." 

Seungmin smiled. "I'd like to see you try. Last time I checked, you lost in our sword sparing match." 

"Then I'll just have to use my muscles like earlier to take you down." 

"You have muscle?" Seungmin teased. "I just let you win, so you wouldn't feel bad that I beat you in the last two matches." 

"Because you tickled me." Jisung argued, the two slowly falling back into their usual routine. 

They continued to argue as they approached the temple, Seungmin actually kind of happy he got to speak with Jisung in a serious manner. 

After their conversation the other seemed more relaxed and there seemed to be less of a weight on him. The Ace of Clubs would never admit it out loud, but he was happy Jisung confided in him. It meant he trusted Seungmin, and that alone was good to know. 

While they pretended to hate each other, there was always something more between them. Even Seungmin could see that there was some sort of deeper feelings hidden behind every insult or mockery. 

Whether is was just as friends, or maybe something more, the Ace wasn't sure. But he planned to continue to chase after that small spark. 

A spark he wanted to continue to ignite until it became a burning flame. 

**×××× ××××**

_**H.HJ** _

_**{Day 131}** _

By the time the group made it back to the spot of the corpse, it was gone. Not a single trace of her was left, which sort of annoyed the King of Diamonds since he came all the way back into the woods for nothing. 

"An animal didn't take her, did it?" Seungmin asked. 

The King of Clubs shook his head. "I doubt it. But maybe the killer or whatever came back and took her?" 

Hyunjin let out a groan, tired of playing "friends" with everyone. "Can we just finish the meeting now and go home?" 

"Could you at least pretend like you care about the fact that people are dying for unknown reasons?" Changbin asked, his arms folded across his chest. 

"Why do you think I came all the way out here for?" Hyunjin replied with the same amount of vicious intent that the Ace of Spades radiated. "These deaths have not involved me or my kingdom but I'm here, aren't I?" 

Changbin took a step forward and someone pulled Hyunjin to the side, making the King face in the direction of the temple. 

"Hyunjin and I will head back to the temple." Jeongin said, his hands still on Hyunjin's back. 

The king wanted to move away from the younger's touch but his feet wouldn't let him. 

"We'll finish the meeting after we get dinner." Chan said. "I think some food might help keep us a little calmer." 

Hyunjin scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just find me when dinner is ready." 

The two Diamonds left the pack, Jeongin staying behind the king as they walked back towards the temple. 

While other's saw Hyunjin as cruel, selfish, cold, and vain, the king simply thought of himself as practical. 

In a world governed by money, Hyunjin knew he had to do whatever it took to stay wealthy and care for his people's needs. He knew only money could buy the finest security. 

What others saw as extreme vanity or materialist, Hyunjin saw as wanting to be presentable. Wanting to be surrounded by beautiful things, to show others what the world was capable of creating. 

What others saw as cold shouldered, Hyunjin saw as keeping people at a distance to avoid getting hurt. He wanted to protect himself and his people from manipulation and loss. He would do business and play nice until what was done was done. There didn't have to be fake feelings involved afterward. 

Was all of this so wrong? 

Sure the King of Diamonds was known for being dramatic or easily annoyed, but he only got that way because others simply didn't see the world the way he did. They didn't see how blindly they lived following strong emotions or ideologies. 

The reason the kingdoms hardly got anything done during their meetings was because they were to blinded by their own selfishness and desires. 

While Hearts were mostly driven by emotion, Hyunjin could at least tolerate Felix the most out of the other two kings. Maybe it was just because the two grew up seeing each other a lot when their fathers talked? 

The King of Hearts was always very sweet to Hyunjin, and if the older was being completely honest, he wouldn't mind bring the other to bed with him. Unfortunately, Felix didn't seem interested than being anything more than what the younger labeled "friends". Hyunjin didn't think he'd label it that though. They were allies on paper which meant they would help each other out if an enemy attacked. Their kingdoms leeched off one another searching for protection, which was disgusting in Hyunjin's eyes. 

The King of Clubs didn't-and wouldn't- ever admit it, but he was driven by a desire to be seen as dominant. Chan hid behind kind words and a smile, but deep down he wanted to be seen as the leader. He would always say things in the kindest way, but if you stopped and though about the deeper meaning behind the words, you would find out how much the other liked to be in control. He was good with emotional manipulation in Hyunjin's eyes. The fact that even Chan couldn't see it sometimes, annoyed Hyunjin the most. 

The King of Spades was clearly driven by a desire to prove his intelligence and reign above the others. While Spades and Diamonds weren't enemies by nature, Hyunjin sort of despised Minho. He was always trying to act like he knew everything and belittling others ideas when in reality his suggestions weren't always the best. It irritated Hyunjin to no end everytime he had to see Spades harshly belittling Hearts because they never really saw things the same way. 

Was it so terrible that Hyunjin just wanted to go home and leave the rest to deal with their own issues? 

"Hyunjin?" Jeongin's voice broke through the other's thoughts. 

"Yes?" 

"D-did I do something wrong?" Jeongin asked. 

"No, why?" Hyunjin asked, still facing forward. 

"Because you haven't looked at me at all since last night." Jeongin replied. 

"You did nothing wrong." Hyunjin assured, stopping to look at the Ace. 

Jeongin was cute in Hyunjin's eyes. His bright red hair and sweet smile made the king smile, but the younger was nothing more than a source of pleasure to Hyunjin. 

That's all the Ace could ever be. Hyunjin didn't need anything that involved feelings. He was just chasing his own needs as a human. Jeongin was just the most convenient person for the job. 

"There, are you happy?" Hyunjin asked, breaking his gaze away and continuing to walk. 

Even just the little amount of attention seemed to have the younger giddy for some unknown reason. Jeongin had always been like that though, it had gotten worse after they first slept together. The king had the Ace promise not to form feelings because it was strictly just for pleasure, but Hyunjin knew a mistake was made along the way. 

"You really should try and get this figured out with them." Jeongin said, still staying behind the King. "It could spread to Diamonds and then we'll have to deal with it as well. It's best to just try and figure this out now before it gets out of hand." 

"I'll try my best." Hyunjin replied as they crossed the bridge. "But I can't promise you anything. Not when Minho seems so set on accusing Felix of stealing from him." 

"I think all of you should..." 

Jeongin trailed off as both of them seemed to spot a familiar pink haired figure standing out on the deck facing the waterfall. 

"I thought he was supposed to be sleeping." Hyunjin muttered to the younger. 

"I thought so too." Jeongin replied. "Felix? Are you okay?" 

The King of Hearts didn't move, prompting Hyunjin to move closer to the boy. He wasn't worried about the younger by any means, just...curious. 

"Felix?" Hyunjin asked, thinking the other was just ignoring him, but remembered that Felix wasn't the type. 

Leaning over to get a better view of the other's face, Hyunjin noticed how absent the other king seemed to be. His eyes were staring down at the water, though there was nothing. He also seemed to be mumbling something to himself, but Hyunjin couldn't quite figure out what he was saying. 

Hyunjin waved his hand in front of Felix's face but still recieved no response, not even a blink. 

"Hey, Felix." Hyunjin spoke louder, lightly shoving the other to try and get him to snap out of whatever trance he was in. 

It seemed to work because Felix blinked a few times in surprise as he gripped the railing to prevent himself from hitting the wooden deck. 

"Hyunjin? Jeongin? Sorry, I'm not sure why I'm out here, was I disturbing you?" Felix asked, standing up straight. 

"Not at all." Jeongin replied. "You were just standing out here, but Jisung had told us that you were sleeping." 

"We tried to get your attention but you didn't seem to notice us." Hyunjin added, observing the other's face. 

"I guess I must've been sleep walking if I ended up out here without remembering." Felix said with a chuckle. "Sorry about that, I'll just go back to my room." 

"Are you feeling okay?" Hyunjin asked, noticing how pale Felix still looked. 

"Yeah, I'm okay." Felix replied with a small nod. "I'll see you two at dinner." 

Hyunjin watched as the King of Hearts entered the smallest bedroom and slid the door shut. The whole thing was strange but, Hyunjin decided not to dwell on it too much. 

He had other things to worry about, like the way Jeongin was uncomfortably close to his back as they entered their own bedroom. 

It wasn't unusual to have the Ace so close, but each time Hyunjin had to ignore the way his heart seemed to beat faster in his chest. The whole thing just annoyed Hyunjin the most because he could feel himself breaking his own rule. 

**×××× ××××**

_**S.CB** _

_**{Day 131}** _

Changbin placed down the bowls for all eight of the members around the table as Jisung and Seungmin placed down silverware at each spot. The two were competing as always but created a mess in their wake. Changbin just did his own thing though and did his best to ignore the two. 

Chan entered the dining room with a pot of soup, Minho carrying a tray full of other side dishes. The sight and smell made the Ace's stomach growl. 

They carefully placed the food on the table while Changbin offered to go get the three that were still missing from the room. 

While Changbin really didn't want to be the one to knock on Diamond's door, he was willing to do so if it meant he had an excuse to see Felix. 

He stopped at the Diamonds' room first, knocking gently on the door. It took a few seconds but it slid open, Jeongin standing there. 

"Dinner is ready." Changbin said, eyeing the door beside him. 

"Thanks, we'll be out in a second." Jeongin replied with a smile. 

Changbin nodded and quickly moved on to the room next to them. He knocked on the door, waiting for a response. He stood there for a few seconds, but when there wasn't a response he knocked again, sliding the door open slowly. 

A small lump was under the large comforter and Changbin chuckled, entering the room and sliding the door shut. He walked over and crouched down, carefully lifting the comforter to see the boy hiding underneath. 

"Felix." Changbin called out softly, shaking the boy slightly. "Dinner is ready." 

The younger shifted, and Changbin let go over the comforter as the King of Hearts sat up. Felix rubbed his tired eyes and Changbin waited quietly for the other to wake himself up more. 

"It's so cold, Binnie." Felix said, wrapping the comforter tightly around himself. 

"We're having warm soup for dinner, so hopefully it'll warm you up." Changbin said, wrapping his arms around the other's small frame and lifting him to his feet. 

The King of Hearts seemed to stumble a bit, so Changbin was quick to support him. The comforter fell from Felix and Changbin could now feel just how cold Felix was. He felt like the dead of winter. 

The king clung to the enemy Ace, muttering how warm the other was. Changbin reached over and grabbed a neatly folded blanket nearby and quickly wrapped it around the younger. While he didn't mind being hugged by the other, Changbin was still not used to such touches. He never really experienced such skinship before meeting Felix. 

Sliding open the door, Changbin led them out of the room and over the bridge. Felix's arm was draped over Changbin's shoulders, the Ace's arm around the king's waist to keep him steady. 

When they entered the dining room, Changbin immediately felt Jisung's glare slowly killing him. The Ace of Hearts quickly got up and swiped Felix away, which Changbin tried not to be bothered by. 

_ If only you knew what we've been doing in the shadows.  _

Changbin took his seat beside Minho and dinner began in silence. The only noise came from the clanking of silverware against the bowls. 

Changbin stole a few glances to Felix as Jisung was practically on top fo the other. He knew the Ace was just trying to help, but Changbin couldn't help but shift in his seat, trying to make himself appear bigger. 

"We'll have another meeting after we finish eating." Minho said, looking to Chan. "Now that Diamonds and I have witnessed what you and Hearts have, I think we should come up with a plan before this continues." 

"I agree." Chan said, setting down his spoon. "Whoever is doing this is clearly skilled and it will take all of our cooperation to catch this killer." 

Changbin followed the King of Clubs' eyes to Diamonds, the other still seeming uninterested in the whole development. It irritated Changbin that the other didn't seem to care about anything at all. Hyunjin always did things on a whim whenever he felt like it. 

"Are you seriously going to pick a fight while we're eating?" Hyunjin asked, appalled Chan would make such an insinuating comment. "I get that this killer is important to catch but unless all of you put your other agendas to the side, we won't agree on anything." 

"The only disagreeable one here, is you." Minho said, setting his spoon into his empty bowl. 

Hyunjin scoffed. "Believe what you want, but at I'm not picking a fight with my enemy." 

"You don't know anything." Minho argued. "Why don't we have this meeting right now? It seems like everyone is already heated up enough to voice their opinions." 

Minho stood up followed by Chan and Hyunjin. Changbin watched as Jisung whispered something to Seungmin before standing up and following the kings out of the room. 

"I'm going to take Felix back to his room and then I'll come back and help clean up." Seungmin said, getting ready to stand. 

"I can do it." Changbin offered, though it was more like a statement. 

"It's fine." Seungmin said, helping to raise Felix up from his chair. "I'll be back in a second." 

Changbin watched in silence as the two left the room, his eyes still lingering on the open doorway. 

He heard a chuckle beside him before the younger Ace spoke. "You and I seem to be in the same boat." 

"What do you mean?" Changbin asked, his eyes still lingering on the empty doorway. 

"We both have someone we can't seem to have." Jeongin replied. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." Changbin said, finally tearing his eyes to his empty bowl. 

"You're not as subtle as you think." Jeongin said. "I'd be more careful if you don't want to get caught. Minho would probably have the other's head." 

Even though it was a joke, the reality of what Changbin and Felix were doing set in. What Jeongin said was right, if they were to get caught now, Minho would probably grow upset and attack the younger. 

"Whatever." Changbin said, getting up from his spot. 

He grabbed his used dishes and began to carry them to the kitchen. He placed them in the sink and began to think more about what he'd gotten himself into. 

It wasn't like Changbin hadn't thought about how forbidden dating Felix was. He had been super hesitant about them dating at the beginning because he was afraid of getting caught. Over the months he had sort of forgotten about his worries and insecurities but now they were creeping back. 

Felix deserves better. Someone he can see in public without the threat of death around every corner. He deserves someone who will return the physical attention he seems to like. He deserves someone that isn't Changbin. 

Changbin sucked in a large breath and held it in. 

_ No...  _

_ He loves me.  _

_ And I love him.  _

Changbin turned on the faucet and quickly washed off his dishes. He put them to the side to dry, and the Ace left the kitchen. He wanted to see the other and talk, hoping it would help get rid of the negative thoughts invading his mind. 

The Ace did his best to avoid running into Seungmin, not wanting the other to stop him. He was sure Jisung had the Ace of Clubs promise not to let Changbin near Felix. 

Not seeing the other Ace near the rooms, Changbin quickly snuck into the Hearts bedroom, closing the door quietly behind him. 

"Changbin?" Felix questioned, still wrapped up in a blanket. "What are you doing here?" 

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay." Changbin said. "And to talk." 

Felix nodded and patted the empty space next to him on the floor's mattress, the Ace sitting down but leaving a considerable gap between them. 

"What did you wanna talk about?" Felix asked. 

Changbin breathed in deep and let it out. "Are you sure you want to date me? I mean...there's a lot of risks if we keep doing this." 

"Is this all coming up because of something I said or did?" Felix asked, his expression changing drastically. "Because if it is-" 

"You didn't do anything." Changbin quickly assured. "I just...got to thinking about us and the things that could happen if we got caught." 

Felix nodded, showing he understood. "Well...do you want to break up?"

"Of course not." 

Felix's smile returned. "Then that should be the only answer we need because I really do love you, Binnie. You don't ever have to question that." 

Changbin nodded and reached his hand out to grab the King of Hearts. He pulled the younger closer to him, the two of them finding a comfort in their silence together. 

The Ace wanted to return the "I love you" but he couldn't bring himself to form the words. He'd never said it before so the words were foreign to him. The only thing he could do was try and show how much he cared. 

_ Maybe one day we'll tell everyone, but for now, I'm happy just like this.  _


	3. × Three ×

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the positive feedback on this story. It always makes my day a lot brighter! 
> 
> I hope everyone has a good week!

_**B.C** _

_**{Day 131}** _

The only thing that could've made the meeting worse was if someone cut off another's head. There was so much yelling, arguing, and talking over one another that nothing was being solved. But what was new? 

Chan was beginning to wonder how they ever got anything accomplished. Even Jisung was over the entire thing, his head resting in his hands. Chan sort of felt bad that he was dragged into this, but Minho seemed to be more calm without Felix sitting in front of Hearts banner. 

"Maybe if you just listened to my idea we could-" 

"Listen to your idea?" Minho cut off Hyunjin. "The only ideas you have involves personal gain." 

Hyunjin let out a noise of frustration as he leaned back in his chair. "Then why am I even here? You obviously ignore my opinions and ideas anyway. This is pointless if we're not solving anything." 

"The reason we can't solve anything is because-" 

"Enough!" Chan yelled, slamming his fist down. The unusual act of violence had everyone silenced, they attention fixed solely on the King of Clubs. "We'll finish this tomorrow when we have clearer heads." 

The King of Clubs pushed back his chair and left the room, his tired mind just wanting some peace. The full moon was fully up now, marking how many hours they had been stuck in the meeting room. 

Sliding open the door of his room, Chan found Seungmin and Jeongin playing a game together. The two Aces' smiles fell upon seeing Chan. 

"Let me guess, you got nothing accomplished?" Seungmin asked setting down a small wooden playing piece. 

"It's not easy getting everyone to see eye to eye." Chan replied, untying the black sash around his waist. "Hopefully things will be better by morning." 

"I should probably get going to." Jeongin said as he stood up. "If Hyunjin beats me to bed, he'll turn out the lights on me." 

The Ace of Diamonds scurried out of the room, sliding it shut behind him. Chan wondered how that boy put up with Hyunjin everyday and do it all with a smile. 

It wasn't obvious to the normal, everyday person, but Chan made sure to keep tabs on the kings and their Aces. Jeongin was never really next to or in front of Hyunjin unless it was absolutely dire. The younger was always behind the King of Diamonds for some reason. Even when they talked, Jeongin made sure to stay behind him. It was odd but Chan knew better than to question it and face the signature death glare from Hyunjin. 

Chan removed the dark green leather vest and tossed it in the corner of the room. He began to unbutton his shirt to change into the pajamas they always made sure to keep behind. 

Since they usually always ended up in the same rooms, Chan's and Seungmin's stuff was already in the small cupboard. 

"I think Jisung is upset at Changbin." Seungmin said, filling the silence. 

"And what makes you say that?" Chan asked, tossing his black button up to the side and slipping on the white bed shirt. 

"When you all left, Jisung asked me to bring Felix back to his room and not to let Changbin near him." Seungmin said. "I just think he's being more...protective than usual." 

"He's never been one to make friend with Spades." Chan replied, not thinking too much of it. The Ace of Hearts was usually kind of protective when it came to Felix. Especially when a Spade was involved. 

"But he usually doesn't mind Changbin." Seungmin replied. "They even had a playful spar earlier today." 

"I guess, we'll just have to see what tomorrow brings." Chan said, pulling on the loose pants. 

The king could see Seungmin was quite worried which also gave away the Ace's not-so-secret feelings for the other. At least in Chan's eyes, Seungmin was more worried about what was troubling Jisung. 

Grabbing Seungmin's pajamas out of the small closet, he tossed them over. 

"Try not to dwell on it too much." Chan said. "Whatever it is they're dealing with will get taken care of on it's own. There isn't a need for us to get involved yet." 

"But what if-" 

"If I ever see you touching him again, I swear..." Jisung's loud voice rattled throughout the sleeping quarters and Chan immediately went for the door. 

He slid it open and found the others in the hall all watching as the Ace of Hearts and the Ace of Spades were getting a little more violent than normal. 

"I didn't hurt him." Changbin argued, his body only moving slightly by the rough shove Jisung gave. 

"Who gave you permission to enter our room and hold him while he slept?" Jisung questioned, his tone fuming with anger. 

"He was cold so I was just trying to help him." Changbin replied through his gritted teeth, though his frustration was getting harder to manage it seemed. 

Chan stepped out into the hallway once swords were drawn. He just wanted everyone to go to bed, not have a bloody fight in the middle of the night. 

Before he could interfere, the King of Hearts stumbled out of his room, his clothes a little disheveled and hanging losely on his shoulders. Color had returned to Felix's face, his skin now full of life and his lips no longer blue. It was a relief to see. 

"Jisung!" Felix yelled out, his naturally deeper voice even lower. It was rare for the king to sound so...threatening. "Put your weapon away." 

"But he-" 

"He's not an enemy we need to be dealing with right now." Felix said, his voice becoming softer. "He was helping me." 

Jisung continued to point the blade of his sword against the other's neck, Changbin doing the same. 

Chan wanted to step in to help, but another part of him wanted to see how this would play out. It wasn't a fight he needed to get involved in. 

"You should watch your guard dog more closely, Lix." Minho warned, stepping out on to the deck next to the other king. "Or next time I won't hesitate to declare this an act of treason." 

"Understood." Felix said, grabbing Jisung's wrist and lowering the sword. 

The Ace of Hearts sheathed it back on to his belt and let Felix drag him towards the hallway. 

There was a heavy silence as Minho stopped the other king, whispering something in his ear before letting them pass. 

Chan was curious, but he knew better than to pry now. He would wait until later when the dust settled. 

The two Hearts entered their room, and Felix smiled and gave a small nod in Chan's direction before sliding the door closed. 

"The rest of the night better not be this noisy." Hyunjin muttered, entering his room with Jeongin right behind. 

Chan looked to Minho, and the King of Spades motioned him over. 

Letting out a sigh, Chan carried himself over, still wanting to get some sleep. He followed the other out on to the deck, getting as far away from the rooms as possible. 

Looking over Chan's shoulder, Minho motioned for Changbin to go back to the room. 

"I need you to promise me something." Minho said quietly as he leaned on the railing. "Not only as an ally but as a...a close friend." 

"What is it?" 

"I need assurance that you'll help defend and assist Spades if a war is ever declared between us and Hearts." Minho finished. "Lately I've been suspicious of their behavior, and I have a feeling there is something going on behind my back." 

Chan could tell there was some paranoia there. He didn't believe Hearts would do anything so risky behind their backs, but Minho was still a childhood friend so he felt he needed to at least hear the other out. 

"Since when did you become so mature?" Chan asked, wanting to lighten the tension a little. "What happened to the weird and fun kid I used to know?" 

Minho didn't seem to want to go a lighthearted route, his expression reminded serious. "I had to leave him behind. He would've never made it as king in this world." 

Chan didn't try to bring out the Minho he once knew. It didn't seem like he was in the mood to play around. 

"As allies, you know we are bound to help you." Chan replied more seriously this time. "Whether or not I agree with you doesn't change that. Just like how you are bound to help Clubs if Diamonds were to ever declare war." 

Minho frowned. "I know how attached you are to the King of Hearts, Chan. I just need to know you won't go easy on him just because you think you're friends." 

Chan nodded, though he wanted to disagree. Really, whatever got him to bed quicker seemed like the best route to him at the moment. 

"You have my word as an ally and a close friend." Chan replied. "If they decide to attack you while we are here, Seungmin and I will be here to help defend you." 

"Great." Minho replied with a tight smile. "See you in the morning." 

Chan nodded though he wasn't sure he liked what the conversation implied. It meant Minho was thinking about war. Even if he didn't declare it now, there was always tomorrow. It made it seem like even the smallest thing Hearts could do to offend him in anyway would lead to a fight none of them really wanted. 

Chan sighed as he dragged his feet to his room. 

_Tomorrow will be better. Everything will be fine after we get some sleep._

_Everything will be fine._

**×××× ××××**

_**H.JS** _

_**{Day 132}** _

The heavy tension followed from that night all the way to breakfast. Jisung tried to ignore the glare sent his way by Changbin as they ate in silence, but it was hard to miss. 

"Did everyone sleep well?" Felix asked, breaking the long silence. 

"I did." Jeongin replied quickly. "It was actually kind of nice to get a change of scenery." 

Felix smiled. "Glad to hear it." 

"If you want to talk, why don't we just start discussing what we're going to do about the killer running rampant in your kingdom?" Minho said, his tone somewhat mocking. 

"We shouldn't do it here." Felix replied. "We can start another meeting after everyone finishes eating." 

"Seems like everyone is finished besides you." Minho continued to target. 

Jisung glanced over at Felix's plate, noticing the food that was still sitting on it. The Ace had been too absorbed to notice his king wasn't eating properly. 

"Sorry, my appetite appears to be gone." Felix replied, his eyes never leaving Minho's. 

"If you two want to argue, go outside." Hyunjin huffed. "I don't need this meeting to be another waste of time." 

"Do you really hate being with us that much?" Chan asked, sounding a little offended. 

Jisung could feel a head ache beginning once again. 

"Everyone just save the arguing for later." Jisung said, trying to break up the kings' arguing. 

"Says the boy who tried to kill me last night for helping his king." Changbin joined, rolling his eyes. 

Jisung stood from his seat, the two Ace's now sucked into their own arguement. The Ace of Hearts hated seeing Changbin so close to Felix last night while the king was vulnerable. With the higher tensions between Hearts and Spades, Jisung couldn't believe he would even dare get close to Felix while Jisung wasn't around. 

"Enough! All of you!" Jeongin's voice broke through the loud voices, surprising everyone. Jisung had never heard him sound so angry before. "We have a more serious matter to deal with than your petty problems." 

Jisung sank back into his seat, crossing his arms and slouching like he was a child being scolded. 

Chan cleared his throat. "Sorry, we got a little carried away. Why don't we start the meeting now? We need to get this figured out before..." 

The door of the dining room slid open viciously, and Jisung and Felix stood up quickly upon seeing a Lionness of Hearts. 

"I apologize for bursting in." She said with a slight bow. "But two bodies were found this morning, all of them with the same mark and condition as the previous bodies. They were two of the head farmer's missing children." 

Felix took the small, rolled parchment the lioness handed him. "I appreciate you delivering the news. Jisung and I will be back later today once we get a solution figured out." Felix said. "Tell Lunette to have the townspeople moved to the castle. I want them safe and protected." 

The lioness nodded. "Understood." 

"Thanks Raiya. We'll see you soon." 

With that, their soldier left. The room's attention was fixed on them now. 

"We need to figure this out today." Felix said, looking to the kings. "So let's get started." 

The other three didn't argue, just getting up and following the younger king to the meeting space. The remaining Aces were left to do the dishes. 

Jisung moved first, collecting up his plate and silverware. He reached to grab Felix's but stopped when he saw all the food still on his plate. 

_Why won't you eat anything?_

"I'm sorry about your loss." A voice said, making Jisung look up. It was Seungmin–the other two Aces no longer in the room. 

Jisung shrugged, picking up his king's plate and setting it on top of his. 

"It's not like we didn't suspect they would be dead." Jisung replied, not wanting to let his mind wander. "They were missing for days now. Their father told us they had been acting strange before they disappeared." 

"How so?" Seungmin asked. "Clubs have a few people missing still but their families never reported anything strange. They were too absorbed in their work to really notice." 

Jisung wasn't surprised to hear this. Clubs were hardworking by nature, but that had it's downfalls. Family was usually set to the side with them. 

"The farmer said his children would mumble to themselves at first which then shifted to them just wandering off. He said they would act distant at times and they lost appetite to eat." Jisung said. "When they disappeared, it didn't seem like they were taken by force. It was like they just wandered away and never came back." 

Seungmin nodded, looking like he was trying to think about his own kingdom's disappearings. 

"If the killer not only kills people but also lures a few away, what's the point of taking them in the first place if they are just going to end up dead too?" Seungmin asked. "It just doesn't make sense." 

"Then that's what we'll have to figure out." Jisung replied. "But I don't want to think about it right now. I had enough theorizing and conflict last night." 

"Wanna spar in the courtyard then?" Seungmin asked with a grin. "I have a trophy with my name on it, just waiting to be claimed." 

Jisung shoved the other with his leg as he walked by, but the other seemed to understand the silent challenge. 

The Ace of Hearts set down his dishes beside the sink as Jeongin and Changbin washed the other dishes. 

Jisung went back and picked up some more of the plates and came back to add to the pile. He reached around Jeongin to place them down when he noticed a darker spot on the back of the younger's neck. 

"How did you get a bruise back here?" Jisung asked, pressing his finger on to the spot gently. 

The younger Ace reached back to block it from view and he let out a slight chuckle. 

"Must be from the table in our room." Jeongin replied, letting his hand slip away. "I sort of bumped the edge when I was trying to reach something under it last night." 

"It looks pretty nasty." Seungmin said, joining the other two. "Does it hurt?" 

"A little." Jeongin replied. "But don't worry about it. It's nothing serious." 

A loud shout came from the meeting room and all the Aces let out a sigh. Jisung knew they had strayed away from their main objective once again to argue with one another. 

"Should we go make sure they're okay?" Jeongin asked. 

"They'll work it out." Changbin replied. "It's not like they have weapons to really hurt each other with." 

"Are you guys good here?" Seungmin asked. "I have to beat Jisung at some arm wrestling matches." 

"Yeah, we'll meet you two out there when we're finished." Jeongin said, going back to washing the dishes. 

Jisung followed Seungmin out of the kitchen and they crossed over to the courtyard. The two ready for their usual competition to start. 

Jisung drew out his sword and Seungmin did the same. 

"Ready to lose?" Seungmin asked with a smug smile. One Jisung wanted to erase quickly. 

"Only if you are?" Jisung replied, taking the first swing. 

The blade came cascading down, Seungmin blocking it just above his face. The Ace of Clubs pushed the blades to the side, and Jisung went to block his opponents attack. 

The two sparred like this for a while, both knowing the other's strategies after years of constant competitions. 

Seungmin sliced his blade forward and Jisung took a step back, his heel bumping a raised stone slab. He fell on to his butt and Seungmin's blade was held at his throat. 

"I win." Seungmin grinned happily, extending a hand to help the other up. 

Jisung let out a groan of frustration but let himself be helped up. It was sort of humiliating to Jisung. He was supposed to be the protector for the king, but he couldn't even beat Seungmin half the time unless it was hand to hand combat. 

The force used to pull his body up from the ground had his momentum a bit too fast, so his body collided into the other Ace. 

Their faces were only a few inches apart now, neither of them having ever been that close to the other before but neither one of them moving away. 

Up close, Jisung actually got a better look at the other Ace. He had never noticed the faint scar on Seungmin's right cheek, or the way his eyes reflected a much lighter brown under the sunlight. 

_He's actually fairly good looking up close..._

_..._

_Too bad his personality could use some work._

Jisung's mind told his feet to move away, but they didn't listen. Seungmin didn't move a muscle either. 

The younger's eyes were fixed down slightly at Jisung's face and then looked back up to meet the older's gaze. 

Something flashed in Seungmin's eyes but Jisung couldn't decipher what it was. He just knew a shiver ran up his spine, and he suddenly felt small. 

The tension grew heavier, and the Ace of Hearts found his gaze moving down to Seungmin's lips. 

_It would be so easy..._

The Ace chuckled nervously as if that was the response to his own thought. He took a step back and put his sword back to his belt. 

"Good job." Jisung said awkwardly after clearing his throat, his mind still trying to process what just happened. 

"Since when do you congratulate me for winning?" Seungmin teasingly asked, as if sensing the other's embarrassment. It wouldn't surprise Jisung if the other was trying to make him more flustered on purpose. 

"I...nevermind." Jisung said, avoiding eye contact with the other Ace. "I'll win the next match. Then you'll have to congratulate me." 

Seungmin's grin only grew. "If you can beat me, I'll even throw in a prize."

Jisung squinted his eyes. "What's the catch?" 

"No catch." Seungmin replied. "Just thought you might need some sort of motivation to win." 

"Fine. Winner gets to choose what the laser has to do." Jisung proposed. 

Seungmin chuckled. "If you plan to win, you better draw your sword. I don't plan on losing with stakes like this." 

Jisung grabbed the hilt of his sword and pulled it from its sheath. The second the sun reflected from the blade, Seungmin took his first swing. 

**×××× ××××**

_**H.HJ** _

_**{Day 132}** _

It was the same thing everytime. The same petty arguments and the same outcome each time. It was getting old. 

"Locking down the kingdoms is the only reasonable thing to do if we're trying to stop them from killing anyone." Minho said, his voice still raised. 

"But if we lock down the kingdom how are our people supposed to make money? How will we trade necessities if we're all locked up?" Chan questioned. 

"We could just send an assigned pair of people out, so we can keep track of who enters and leaves the kingdoms." Minho replied, the conversation actually starting to go somewhere. 

Hyunjin perked up in his seat before speaking. 

"For once you have a reasonable idea." Hyunjin said. "We close the kingdoms and continue to trade with a select few people while we find this killer. Problem solved." 

"But what if the traders get attacked along the way?" Felix asked. "Who will protect them then?" 

"We could always sent our beastmen out with them" Chan said. 

"Beastpeople." Felix corrected. "Hearts has lionesses." 

"Right, sorry." Chan replied. 

"So we lock down our kingdoms and only send out our beasts with the traders. We finally catch this killer because of our heightened security. Problem solved." Hyunjin recapped. "Now we can all go home." 

The King of Diamonds pushed back his seat and was about to stand when Chan stopped him. 

"Wait, I'm a bit curious about something." Chan said, his eyes turning to Felix. "What was on that parchment you recieved earlier?" 

The King of Hearts looked surprised by the question. "It was nothing. Just a letter stating what Raiya told me." 

"Mind if I look at it?" Minho asked, though it was more of a demand. 

"I..." Felix trailed off, his head lowering slowly like he was deep in thought. 

Hyunjin would've just chalked it up to him trying to avoid the request, but seeing the other's lips move as if he was mumbling something was concerning. It was like yesterday. 

"Felix?" Chan asked, reaching out and shaking the younger slightly. 

The action seemed to pull the King of Hearts from his trance once again and Hyunjin wondered what was going on with the other. 

"Sorry, I...what was a doing?" Felix asked. 

"You were going to give Minho the parchment you recieved earlier." Hyunjin replied. 

Felix smiled nervously as he nodded, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out the folded parchment and handed it to Minho. 

"Are you feeling okay?" Hyunjin asked, though his voice was void of genuine concern. He was more freaked out than worried about the other. 

Felix nodded. "Yeah, I feel fine." 

Minho folded up the paper and handed it back to Felix, nodding to confirm the paper was what the younger said it was. 

"Then I guess this is farewell for now." Chan said. "We can find the others and leave." 

Hyunjin liked the sound of that, already moving to the courtyard where he knew they would be. He really wanted to go back home and relax without feeling the need to have to deal with others. 

While he knew it was good for him to communicate with the others, Hyunjin still sort of hated it. 

Walking out into the sun, Hyunjin saw the four all combating against each other. There wasn't much malice hanging in the air–except for maybe between Changbin and Jisung. 

"Jeongin." Hyunjin called out, the Ace turning his head as he pinned Seungmin to the ground. "Time to go." 

Jeongin obediently listened and walked over, Seungmin getting up on his own. They passed by the other three kings and left without a single goodbye which wasn't anything new. 

They seemed to view Hyunjin with the same amount of distain as he viewed them, so feelings weren't completely hurt by this. 

It was better this way. 

"I take it you got everything solved?" Jeongin questioned as they walked over the main bridge. 

"We'll be closing the kingdom and sending two people out at a time to trade with beastmen protection." Hyunjin replied, untying the reins of his horse. "Hopefully this killer will be stopped in their tracks and we can all go back to our lives." 

Hyunjin mounted the saddle and the two left Star Temple. They rode in silence for a while, Jeongin to the king's back. It wasn't unusual for their trip to be quiet but usually the younger would try and strike up a conversation towards the beginning to make time go by faster. 

Hyunjin kept his eyes trained forward. He hated turning around, especially when he was on a horse.

"When we get back, can we stop in town?" Jeongin finally asked. "I want to buy something." 

Hyunjin nodded. "We can." 

"Great, one of my favorite merchants should be in town this week." Jeongin said, Hyunjin visualizing the large smile on the younger's face just from his tone of voice. "She always brings back the most exotic wares." 

"Is she the one you bought the crane painting from?" Hyunjin asked, deciding to follow along with the conversation. 

"Yeah, and that stainglass lamp I gave you for your birthday is from her." Jeongin replied. "I think she traveled to Aurora recently and that's where her wares will be from." 

Hyunjin nodded. He had heard of Aurora. It's land was a but different, with each kingdom being trapped within its own season all year around. It's what made the land unique from the others. 

The King of Diamonds had been in contact with the King of Summer before. Hongjoong he believed was his name was. 

"Then I guess we'll have to see what they have to offer." Hyunjin said. "Though, I'm sure our wares are quite unique as well. At least to them." 

"Maybe we should visit sometime?" Jeongin suggested. "It could be a nice little vacation. Plus, we could pick any season we want." 

Hyunjin actually mused the idea. 

_Maybe it would be great to get away for a while? Perhaps we could gain a few more allies?_

As Hyunjin fell deeper into his thoughts, Jeongin kept quiet. 

Deep down, the King of Diamonds was appreciative of the Ace. Jeongin always seemed to know what Hyunjin wanted without a single word needed. It was convenient. 

Jeongin was convenient. 

**×××× ××××**

_**S.CB** _

_**{Day 132}** _

Watching the pink hair disappear behind a cluster of trees was upsetting to the Ace of Spades. Especially since he was sitting so closely behind Chan. It made Changbin wish he could've been the one to offer to take him home. 

It was unfair that Felix and he couldn't spend more time together under the light of day. Instead, they had to sneak around under the dark of night. 

It was cruel. 

Changbin was also still concerned about the King of Hearts' health. When the Ace held him last night, Changbin still thought the other was deathly cold to the touch. He looked better now, but he just seemed a little...off. 

When Changbin tried to say goodbye the other seemed so distant. His eyes weren't really focused on anything yet his lips moved silently. The whole situation was odd. 

"Are you just going to mope by yourself? Or do you want to talk about it?" Minho asked as they rode down the path alone. 

"Since when do you care about what I'm feeling?" Changbin asked, not intending for it to sound as rude as it did. 

"Since I noticed the small hickey on Felix's collarbone that weren't there until Jisung decided to attack you last night." Minho replied. 

The words had Changbin's knuckles turning white around the reins. 

"I'm not as blind as you might think I am." Minho continued. "I was informed a while back about you leaving the kingdom late at night for hours and returning before sunrise. The small charm decorating your sword that I didn't give you. I also noticed the way you kept looking at Felix during our meals." 

"You might as well just kill me now." Changbin said flatly. "I mean, this has to be some sort of act punishable by death." 

"I should." Minho replied. "But I'm not going to. I actually think this could be useful for Spades." 

Changbin didn't like the sound of that. He knew Minho was a good guy by nature, but he was also one that spared no one when it came to his own agenda. 

The Ace was almost to scared to ask why. "And why would that be?" 

"This could be a way for us to find out what Hearts could be up to." Minho continued. "I'm guessing the King of Hearts trusts you enough to tell you about his troubles and worries. So if you ask about his plans, he might tell you." 

"I would do a lot for you Minho, but I will not use Felix's trust in that way." Changbin replied. 

"You will if you don't want Hearts to go under in a war." 

Changbin frowned. "You can't be serious? This isn't like you." 

"I need to protect Spades." Minho replied. 

"But Hearts hasn't even threatened you yet." Changbin argued. 

"They're acting suspicious, and I can't help but feeling like they're planning something." Minho replied. "I just need you figure out what's going on over there." 

Changbin let out a sigh, knowing he couldn't get out of this. He just needed to agree for now and figure something out later. 

He didn't want to go against Felix. He loved him. 

"Fine, but I'll let you know if I find out anything. But don't ask me to do anything else." Changbin said. "You're wasting your time anyway. Hearts is the least of our worries now." 

"Then that's what you'll confirm for me." 

**×× ××**

_**{Day 41}** _

Snow crunched under the Ace's feet as he walked his horse over to the fallen tree. He tied the reins down before looking around for a familiar pink head. 

The cold winter wind managed to creep under Changbin's clothes, and the other pulled the furs tighter around his body. He couldn't believe he was doing this. His mind told him to just go home and ignore his feelings, but his heart made him continue. 

This was the first time Changbin had ever experienced...love before. Orphaned as a child and taken in by the previous King of Spades, Changbin had always felt like an outsider. Someone who wasn't needed. 

But then Felix stepped into his life, offering something Changbin never thought he'd ever experience. 

It wasn't perfect. Changbin still shied away from touches and wasn't used to all the attention the other gave him. But he did his best to try and let the other do what he wanted. 

"Boo." A familiar voice said, hands gripping his arms from behind. Changbin turned around, seeing a pout on the other's face. "You're no fun, you didn't even flinch." 

Changbin shrugged. "I'm an Ace, Felix. I'm not supposed to scare easily." 

"But Jisung always jumps when I scare him." Felix said, his arms wrapping around the other. 

"Then he should work to be a better Ace." Changbin replied. "He needs to be able to protect you." 

Felix chuckled. "He is a good Ace." 

"He better be." Changbin replied. "Or I'll have to take his spot." 

"As if Minho would let you leave." Felix said, finally moving to stand in front of Changbin. 

The King of Hearts looked quite stunning under the moonlight, wearing all white with a red sash around his waist. The pink hair standing out even more. 

"I guess you're right." 

Felix smiled sweetly at the Ace. The corners of his lips slowly falling after a few seconds of silence. 

"I've been meaning to ask you...you aren't...you aren't dating me because Minho asked you to, are you?" Felix asked. "I mean, it's not that I don't trust you, I just...we're on opposing sides and I-" 

"You can trust that I'm here on my own accord." Changbin said. "Just as much as I trust you're here for the right reasons as well." 

Felix nodded with a heartwarming smile. "Of course. Oh, I almost forgot. I brought you something." 

The King of Hearts reached under his white cloak and pulled out a small cloth. Felix handed it to Changbin and the other slowly untied the decorated wrapping. 

It felt strange. Changbin had never recieved a gift before, so he wasn't sure what to say or do. Usually he was just the one giving the gifts. 

"If I knew you were going to bring a gift, I would've prepared one too." 

Felix chuckled. "Don't worry, it's nothing too big. I didn't want to get you anything too flashy." 

Changbin unwrapped the cloth which revealed a small black tassled charm. 

"I thought about getting you a red one but I figured this one would be less concerning since black is a Spade color." Felix said. "So I have the red one." 

The king moved his cloak to the side, revealing an identical red tossed charm tied to his waist. 

Changbin looked to his side and tied the gift to the hilt of his sword. That way it would always be by his side and protect him. 

"Thanks, I'll take good care of it." Changbin said, making the other chuckle again. The sound making Changbin smile. He could listen to the younger laugh all day. 

"It's not a living creature." Felix said with a smile. "No care necessary. But you on the other hand," The king grabbed one of Changbin's hands from under his fur cloak, exposing his skin to the cold and revealing the faint scars. "Seems like you need a lot of care." 

Changbin smiled. "You don't think they make me look tough?" 

"I never said that." Felix replied, looking back to Changbin's eyes. "But you don't need scars to look tough. You already are." 

A silence fell upon them and their faces slowly grew closer. Changbin kept his gaze fixed on the other's lips. He wasn't sure what to do, his brain still trying to process through his emotions. But when his lips suddenly landed on another, all those thoughts disappeared. 

Though Felix's hands were cold against Changbin's neck, every touch heated up the Ace. Their bodies were pressed up against one another, the older gripping Felix's waist as their lips moved together in sync. The way the king fit so perfectly in the Ace's hands made Changbin think that they were made for each other. 

Felix pulled away first, a small string of saliva connecting them until the king wiped it away. 

"I love you." Felix whispered with a soft smile before pressing their lips together once again. 

Changbin let the other lead for a little, before gaining a bit of confidence and taking over. 

He wished things could be like this all the time. He wished he could see Felix in the day when they didn't have to hide and could go to a proper place to be together. 

_What if we just ran away together? What if we started anew somewhere else? Somewhere where we didn't have to hide._

Changbin's fingers pressed deeper into the king's waist, earning a small whimper from the other. The sound making Changbin smile as he pulled away from the other. 

"Let's run away." Changbin said, his breath still stolen from him. "Lets run away and began together without fear." 

Felix's smile fell slightly. "You know we can't." 

"Why not?" Changbin questioned. "Jisung would take over Hearts and Minho would just find someone new to take my place." 

"I can't just abandon everyone." Felix argued sadly. "As much as I want to be with you, I have other responsibilities as well that I want to see through. I couldn't put Jisung in such a position of distress either." 

"But-" 

"I'm sorry Changbin, but...I just can't leave." Felix said. "At least not now." 

Those last few words made Changbin perk up a little. 

_So there's still a chance._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next few chapters will start to dig a little deeper into the characters pasts.


	4. × Four ×

**Y.JI**

**{Day 132}**

The marketplace was busy as usual. Lots of people liked to check out the new items as well as buy them. It was a place where the rich wanted to flaunt their wealth. 

Jeongin guided his horse over to the familiar blue stall, Misha smiling as the Ace approached. Hyunjin waited nearby, not interested in shopping today. 

"I knew you would show up." Misha said with a grin. "I saved something just for you." 

The merchant reached underneath the counter and opened up a small silk pouch. She opened it and dumped the contents into her palm, two rings landing there. 

"These are from the Winter Kingdom. They're white silver with a Winter Gem embedded on the top here." Misha said, turning one of the rings so Jeongin got a better view of the small square cut gemstone. 

"Why is it called a Winter Gem?" Jeongin asked, still examining the cloudy white gem. 

"Legend has it that this stone is only formed in the deepest, coldest cave in Aurora's Winter Kingdom." Misha replied. "It's said that if you look closely, you can see the unique patterns of thousands of snowflakes compacted within it. Rings with the Winter Gem are usually given by the Winter people who have found the one they want to spend eternity with." 

Jeongin glanced over to Hyunjin, the king people watching and unknowing of what Jeongin was doing. 

"I'll take them." Jeongin said, reaching to his waist to grab his coin purse. "How much?" 

Misha grinned. "I knew you'd want these." She put the rings back in the bag and closed it up. She pushed them towards the Ace. "They're on the house." 

"I-I can't accept them without payment." Jeongin argued. 

Misha shook her head. "Consider them a gift for always stopping by. Customer loyalty or something like that." 

Jeongin picked up the pouch and slipped it into his pocket. "Thanks Misha. I appreciate it." 

Jeongin noticed a hand fan hanging down that was beautifully decorated. The Ace pulled it down and set it on the counter. 

"I'll take this as well." Jeongin said, pulling out a few pieces of silver and setting them on the counter. "How long will you be in town for?" 

"A week." Misha replied. "I'll restock supplies here and move on to the next land. I'm thinking about traveling to Magic next." 

Jeongin nodded with a smile. He remembered Misha selling a few things from Magic a few months back. They had some interesting wares as well. 

"I'll look forward to your return then." Jeongin replied, grabbing his purchase. 

Misha nodded. "I'll write you when I plan to return. Same as usual." 

Jeongin nodded and waved goodbye. He guided himself and his horse over to the King of Diamonds, the other seeming to be deep in thought. He noticed the younger though. 

"Here." Jeongin said, handing the older the folded fan. "This is for you." 

Hyunjin accepted the gift, opening it up. His eyes were skeptical at first but they soon softened and he folded it back up. 

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Hyunjin said. "Shall we head back to the castle now?" 

The Ace nodded, and the two got back on their horses. They rode back in silence, Jeongin sensing the other didn't want to talk now. The king always seemed to relax his body whenever he wanted silence. It was like it was the only way he could be in peace. 

Jeongin thought back to when they were younger and how Hyunjin used to scold the Ace for talking when he wanted silence. The memories made Jeongin chuckle. 

**×× ××**

_**13 Years Ago** _

_**{Day 196}** _

The summer sun was hot but the young Ace was content hiding in his shaded nook. He didn't think the prince would ever find him. 

Jeongin continued to poke at the ants nearby with a small twig, not wanting to hurt them, but just redirect their path. He found it entertaining to see their reaction. Sometimes they would wait to move as if contemplating on where to go, or they would simply go around as if the blockade was always there. 

A shadow creeped down in the patch of sun and Jeongin quickly looked up. He smiled widely seeing Hyunjin's upside down face, the prince on top of the table Jeongin hid under. 

"Found you." Hyunjin said with a smile. 

Jeongin covered his eyes. "No, you didn't. If I can't see you, you can't see me." 

There was a silence and the Ace wondered if the prince had left. He separated his fingers slightly and took a peek before letting out a loud laugh, a pair of hands tickling his sides. 

Jeonging tried to move his body away but Hyunjin followed, continuing to tickle the younger. 

"St-stop it." Jeongin laughed out, trying to swat at the other. 

"Not until you admit I found you." Hyunjin replied, making the Ace admit defeat. 

"Now you count to thirty and come find me." Hyunjin said, Jeongin listening obediently and closing his eyes to count aloud. 

He said each number aloud slowly, already thinking of possible places the prince would hide. They limited themselves to the garden to make it easier, but there was still a lot of good hiding spots to uncover. There were a few places that Jeongin always started with first though. The large tree near the back of the garden, and the bushes by the fountain. 

"Thirty!" Jeongin counted, crawling out from under the stone table. 

He squinted his eyes under the bright sun as he ran towards the large oak tree. The young Ace looked around the trunk and then up in the branches. 

No Hyunjin. 

His little legs ran towards the center of the garden where the fountain was. He searched every bush carefully. 

No Hyunjin. 

Letting out a sigh, Jeongin ran to another good spot. He searched around the base of the large statue near the east edge of the garden. 

No Hyunjin. 

Pouting to himself, Jeongin ran to the west side. He wiped his sweat away as he slowed to a walk upon seeing a familiar back. Jeongin ran up to the prince, giggling as he grew excited. 

The prince had hid in plain sight, though the Ace wouldn't count it as hiding at all. Hyunjin was just sitting on the ground in the middle of the path, staring at the large hedge wall in front of him. 

"Found you!" Jeongin shouted, only to be greeted with a hush. 

"Shh." Hyunjin scolded, never turning around. "Be quiet." 

Jeongin sat down behind the other, trying to find what the prince could've found so interesting. He didn't see anything. 

"Hyunjin? What are we looking at?" Jeongin whispered, not wanting to disturb the other's peace. 

"Do you ever get sick of looking at the same things everyday?" Hyunjin asked, the atmosphere changing around them. 

Jeongin shook his head but remembered the other wasn't able to see him. "Not really." 

Hyunjin chuckled to himself, but it didn't sound happy. It was a little sad. 

"I do." Hyunjin replied, letting it grow silent for a little bit before speaking again. "Do you think my father would look for me if I ran away?" 

"He's your father, isn't he?" Jeongin replied, knowing his own father would look for him. 

_It was what family did, right? If one was to go missing the others would go looking, right?_

"I think he'd look for you." Jeongin replied, though his own tone didn't sound completely confident. 

The answer didn't seem to make the prince happy, his shoulder slumping forward even more. 

"Do you want to run away?" Jeongin asked, trying to understand why the prince would ask such a question in the first place. He never did before. 

The prince shrugged his shoulders, still not looking back. It made Jeongin have to study Hyunjin's back more. The Ace took notes of even the smallest movements, wanting to understand what the other was feeling. 

"Well, if you do, take me with you." Jeongin said with a smile, not wanting the other to be alone in his thoughts and adventure. "I want to see the world with you." 

The Ace watched as the King turned his head to the side so Jeongin could see the side of his face. The king didn't turn around fully, but it was enough to show Jeongin that Hyunjin cared. It was enough to know that the prince still sort of saw him an equal...a friend. 

A small smile tugged at the corner of the king's lips before he faced back forward. "Then I guess one day you and I will climb over this wall and see what's behind it." 

**×××× ××××**

_**L.MH** _

**_{Day 132}_ **

Changbin had disappeared from Minho's side as soon as they arrived to the castle. The Ace was still clearly upset by Minho's request, and the King couldn't completely blame him. 

The King of Spades knew it was wrong to demand such a thing, but in his eyes Hearts was a threat. Minho had a duty to protect his kingdom and if Changbin was a way he could confirm or deny his suspicions, then that was what he was going to use. 

Felix's strange behavior recently was concerning to Minho, and he feared the other was playing at a much larger game. The thought was crazy, but paranoia was a trait Minho had acquired from his late father.

He tried to ignore the delusions, but he couldn't. Not with all the stress he was feeling. 

Only one person could knock some sense into Minho and that was Chan, but the King of Clubs had his own problems to deal with. He didn't have time to deal with Minho. They weren't kids anymore. 

"Are you feeling okay, your majesty?" Leo asked, stepping into Minho's view. The leopard beastman looked worried for the king. 

"I'm okay." Minho replied, knowing he could save his thoughts for later. "Do you have camps stationed at the Hearts border?" 

Leo nodded stiffly. "I have four lined up." 

"We need them to withdraw." Minho said. "We are locking down the kingdom." 

"Is something wrong?" 

"There have been murders and disappearances in Hearts and Clubs." Minho said. "We're closing up the kingdoms for now, in hopes of finding the culprit. We all agreed we'd sent out two merchants to trade and some beastmen to protect them on their journey." 

Leo nodded. "I will call the units back and create a schedule of troops to guard the merchants." 

Minho nodded once. "Thanks. I'm going to write up a statement for the people. If you need me I'll be in my study." 

"Understood." Leo said, turning to walk away. He stopped after a few steps and turned back around to face the King of Spades. "I almost forgot." 

The leopard pulled a pocket watch from his pocket, the familiar engraved initials shining under the light. Leo tossed it to Minho and the king caught it. 

"Wh-how?" 

"I found it in one of our men's sleeping quarters." Leo said. "I apologize for the offense, but the leopard is no longer serving in this military." 

Minho ran his thumb over the engraving, a bunch of different feelings hitting him at once. "Thanks." 

Leo nodded and walked off, leaving Minho to look down at the item in his hand. He bit into his lower lip in relief and guilt. 

_Looks like I owe Hearts an apology._

_But...why would one of my own men take it from me? They know how much this means to me._

Minho shoved the pocket watch into his pocket and stalked down the hall to his study. He closed the door behind him for privacy and walked behind his desk. He looked out the large window to the courtyard below, seeing Changbin swinging his sword around as if he was fighting an invisible opponent. 

Even from above, Minho could see the small black tassle hanging from the end of the handle dancing around with each movement. 

Minho could tell the tassle was most likely given from Felix because charms like that were mostly made in Hearts. The people there believe in spirits and gods while Spades relied solely on science and believing what they could see. 

The King of Spades found he couldn't tear his eyes away from the small charm. A part of him hated seeing it because it was a reminder of something Minho couldn't have.

The more the older thought about his Ace being in a relationship the more it rubbed him the wrong way. It didn't help that it was with the enemy either. 

Minho pulled his eyes away from the other and sat behind his desk. He pulled out a nice stationary and grabbed a pen. 

He began writing, knowing he might regret this later. He didn't care. 

_This is for the best._

_I'm only protecting you, like my father did me._

_You'll thank me for this later._

**×× ××**

_**10 Years Ago** _

_**{Day 205}** _

"Minho! Over here." Chan's voice echoed in the wind. 

The Prince of Spades had lost his friend a while ago as they climbed up the large hill. Chan was just more physically adapt than Minho. 

Running over to the origin of his friend's voice, Minho stood at the top of the hill. There was a small pond at the bottom, but Minho didn't see the older. It didn't help that the tall green grass surrounding them matched Clubs' green clothes. 

"Chan?" Minho called out, hoping his friend would show up from his hiding place. The only response he recieved was the breeze running through the tall grass. 

"Ch-" 

"Rah." 

Chan tackled Minho to the ground and both went rolling down the small hill towards the water. Laughter filled the air as they slowed to a stop near the water's edge. 

Minho opened his eyes only to see the other above him, the Prince of Spades trapped within the other's arms. 

Chan was smiling down at Minho, the innocent look making the younger feel bad for wanting to lean up and kiss him. 

Minho didn't know when his feelings started for the Prince of Clubs, but it was hard to ignore now. All the small touches, all the flattering words and friendly flirtatious all made Minho's heart flutter more than it should. 

He hated it because it went against every principle his father taught him. 

Emotions weren't needed. They only blinded people from seeing the truth. Emotions got people hurt. 

Chan was just going to be a friend. A close friend, but never more. It was how it should be anyway. Minho knew it was for the best. 

Letting out a playful chuckle, Chan moved off of Minho, lying back against the grass beside the Prince of Spades. 

"We should probably head back." Chan sighed. "I'm sure our fathers are done with their meeting by now." 

Minho nodded slowly, though his chest grew tight. Three hours together was not enough time. 

As the Prince of Clubs went to sit up, Minho reached out and gripped his forearm. The action was impulsive, and one he didn't really think through. He didn't know why he did it, but the words that left his lips seemed to imply that he did. 

"Um...can we stay here? Just for a few more minutes?" Minho asked. 

Chan smiled and lied back down, both of them looking up at the sky. They were quiet, both of them basking in the nature sounds around them. 

Minho turned his head to look at Chan, the older still gazing up at the clouds. The younger's eyes studied Chan's face, knowing this was a rare chance to have the other so close. 

His eyes slowly moved down to the older's lips once again, Minho curling his own in to wet them with his tongue. 

_I can't._

Minho turned his head so he was gazing back up at the sky. 

_Father said not to follow emotions. They never lead to anything good._

Minho breathed in deeply, letting his eyes close. 

_Love is a distraction._

A cool breeze brushed against Minho's skin. 

_Love will hurt you._

Minho breathed out. 

_Love will kill you._

**×××× ××××**

_**K.SM** _

_**{Day 132}** _

After deciding to take a slight detour, the four stopped to stretch out their limbs on their way to Hearts. 

Seungmin reached up his hand for Jisung to take, but the other simply turned his back to the Ace of Clubs and slid off of the horse. 

"Are you sure you guys should be taking us back?" Felix asked. "Jisung and I can walk the rest of the way." 

The Ace of Hearts met Chan's gaze, his eyes pleading to not accept the younger king's proposal. Seungmin smiled to himself. 

"It'll be dark before the time you get back if you go on foot." Chan replied. 

"But you have your alliance with Minho. I doubt he's happy about this situation." Felix said. 

"Relax Felix. Seungmin and I will deal with him if he has a problem with us taking you back." Chan said, offering some water to the younger. 

Seungmin was reminded of his own drink and quickly reached for it. He chugged a lot of the lukewarm water down, before offering some to Jisung. 

Like usual the other Ace scowled and rejected the offer, so Seungmin shrugged his shoulders and finished off the water. 

"We should keep moving." Jisung said. "I think Felix and I should be back to review the deceased." 

"I agree." Felix said. "The sooner we can both shut down our kingdoms the safer we'll be." 

Chan nodded and got back on his horse, helping Felix back up. Seungmin tried his best to be as accommodating, but Jisung was not following along. Not that Seungmin expected anything different. He actually found it amusing watching Jisung struggle around him. 

Getting behind Seungmin, Jisung slowly wrapped his arms around the other awkwardly. The four started their trip again, Seungmin keeping a good distance between the Aces and the kings. 

"Are you sure you don't want to tell Chan about your kingdom's condition?" Seungmin asked quietly. 

"Even if I did, and Clubs decided to help us, that would only cause problems for you." Jisung replied. "Spades would be down your throats as much as they are with us." 

"Then maybe you should speak with Hyunjin? Their kingdom has plenty to-" 

Jisung let out a scoff. "You really think Hyunjin will want to help us?" 

"He is your ally." Seungmin said, hoping Jisung would at least consider asking for help. 

"Pretty sure the only person he likes is Jeongin, and even he is held at arms length." Jisung replied. "I doubt he'll want to help unless something is in it for him." 

"It's still worth a shot." Seungmin said. 

"I'll talk with Felix about it later." Jisung replied, another moment of silence appearing between the two. "Thanks for worrying though." Jisung muttered, Seungmin barely able to hear it. 

A smile stretched across the younger Ace's lips, noticing Jisung was becoming much more...chilled out around him lately. He wasn't really complaining though. 

"Don't get all sappy on me now." Seungmin teased. "I might have to throw you off my horse if you start crying." 

A smack landed on the back of Seungmin's head, making him chuckle. 

"If you throw me off of this horse, I'm taking you with me." Jisung replied. 

"I'd like to see you..." Seungmin trailed off as Chan's arm stopped them from moving. 

The Ace was confused at first but when he looked farther ahead, his body tensed. A rhythmic ticking filling his ears. 

Up ahead was a tall, gangly looking monster that was hunched over something. 

Seungmin felt the arms around his waist tighten. None of them uttered a word or made a single sound for what felt minutes. 

"Wh-what is that?" Felix whispered, his voice trembling. 

"I don't know, but we should turn around." Chan replied, motioning for Seungmin turn his horse around. 

The Ace listened, trying to keep his horses movements as slow and quiet as possible. Unfortunately, Seungmin's horse decided to let out a snort making everyone whip their heads around. 

The monster had no eyes or nose, only empty sockets and a mouth sown shut. It moved swiftly, Seungmin now able to see the grey and brown flesh that hugged it's boney like structure. 

"Go!" Chan ordered, making Seungmin flick his reins. 

They began their chase, the monster gaining on them a little too quickly for Seungmin's liking. 

"Seungmin, look out!" Chan called out, making Seungmin face forward. 

Another monster stood in their path, making the Ace veer a quick right into the woods. This was definitely something Seungmin never pictured he would die by. 

They didn't even seem real. 

"Felix!" Chan called out, making both Aces turn back. 

The King of Hearts was on the ground now, Jisung hopping off before the Clubs could do anything to stop him. 

Anxiety and panic started to make the other Ace tremble. Jisung helped Felix off of the ground and tried to help him back on to Chan's horse, but the two beasts were practically caught up to them now. 

Seungmin hopped down from his horse and drew out his sword. He ran over to the other three, noticing that the King of Hearts was unconscious. 

Seungmin helped lift Felix up and Chan got a hold of the younger. 

"Get yourselves of here." Jisung said to Chan. "Seungmin and I will distract them and meet you back in Hearts." 

Chan looked to Seungmin who nodded quickly, patting the back of the horse to get her to move. 

The ticking in his ears grew more abnoxious and loud, making it difficult to think. Must be because of the monsters close proximity. 

Seungmin had never felt so small and insignificant in his life as he came to only about three quarters of the way up their boney legs. 

Up close he could see a clockwork type device in the center of their chest, surrounded by their ribs. Seungmin wondered how such monsters appeared in their land, but he didn't have much time to think as Jisung tugged the back of the Ace's clothes. 

The Ace of Hearts was on his horse and quickly helped Seungmin up behind him, both of them racing away. 

Seungmin held on tightly to Jisung, looking back to see that the monsters didn't seem to move. It was like they lost interest. 

"I never want to see those things again." Jisung said, turning the horse sharply and almost making the other fall off.

"And you thought I was a reckless horseback rider." Seungmin teased, the two continuing on a different route back to Hearts. 

"You're lucky I don't throw you off his horse." Jisung replied. 

Seungmin turned back around but didn't see any of the monsters. 

"Duck!" Jisung suddenly called, but Seungmin's brain didn't recall fast enough. 

His body landed on the dirt, a monster's face peering down at him. Long, slender fingers wrapped around Seungmin, trapping his arms to his side as he was picked up. 

The ticking grew louder in his head and the Ace couldn't bring himself to hear or think about anything else. 

A sharp pain ran through Seungmin's abdomen and the Ace could feel his consciousness slipping away. 

The throbbed headache he was feeling along with the physical pain was becoming too much and his vision suddenly went dark. 

**×××× ××××**

_**L.F** _

_**{Day 132}** _

The slight rocking of his body, woke the king from his unconcious state. He was confused why his body was draped over a horse so he was seeing the ground. 

"Chan?" The other questioned, unable to sit up. 

"Felix? How are you feeling?" The King of Club's asked. 

"I feel fine." Felix replied, not noticing anything wrong with him. "What happened?" 

"You passed out when we saw those monsters." Chan replied, the event suddenly returning to Felix's memory. 

"What?" Felix tried to sit up, but failed yet again. He looked back but didn't see Jisung or Seungmin around. 

"Where are-" 

"They stayed behind to distract them while I got you to safety." 

"We have to go back." Felix demanded, not wanting to leave his Ace behind. 

"Felix, you don't even have a weapon on you." Chan said. "We would only make things worse for them." 

"But-" 

"They'll be fine, Felix." Chan assured. "They're going to meet us at Hearts." 

Felix wanted to protest more, but his mind seemed to shut down a little, feeling tired. He didn't really know why he passed out. One second he heard a ticking of a clock and then the next thing he knew he woke up on the horse. 

"Where do you think they came from?" Felix asked. "I've never seen such a creature before." 

"I haven't either, but we need to let Diamonds and Spades know. I think we just found our killers." Chan replied, the two arriving at Hearts' gates. 

"I need to get to the castle to tell Lunette to close up the kingdom." Felix said. "But first, could you help me sit up right?" 

Chan easily maneuvered the King of Hearts so he was seated in front before they headed towards the castle. The position was less embarrassing and people didn't seem to pay them any mind, the black mourning banners still decorating the town. 

Felix began to wonder if he'd have to hang up one of his own. 

_No, I'm sure they're fine._

**×× ××**

_**Hours Later** _   
_**{Day 133}** _

It had been a few hours since the two kings arrived at the castle. Felix was growing more and more anxious as the Aces never showed up. 

Felix bit into his bottom lip as he checked the clock. The sun would be setting soon. 

"Y-you should start heading back." Felix said to Chan. "It'll be dark soon and you still need to shut down your kingdom." 

Chan nodded and stood up from the step. "I'm sure they're okay." Chan assured. "They probably just took a detour and stopped somewhere for the night." 

Felix nodded once, though he wasn't sure he fully believed it. He had faith in Jisung but he knew the Ace liked to play hero sometimes. It was something Felix admired but also something he hated about the other. It got the Ace into a lot of trouble which always made the king worry. 

"Have a safe trip back." Felix said as Chan got up on his horse. "Do you want me to send some of my lionesses with you?" 

Chan shook his head. "I'm sure I'll be fine." Felix nodded and the King of Clubs turned his horse around to face the exit. "Don't forget to eat dinner, you're looking a little pale." 

"I will." Felix replied, watching as the older king left. 

The empty and quiet space around the King of Hearts felt heavy on his shoulders. He knew he was surrounded by so many loving people but he felt so alone now. Not only was Jisung missing but Felix couldn't even see Changbin. 

The king reached to his waist and played with the red string tassle. 

"Your Majesty." A feminine voice called out, making Felix turn. "I have retreated all the camps placed at the border and informed the other lionesses of the shut down. We will create a schedule tonight for who will protect the traders on what days." 

Felix nodded with a smile. "Thanks Lunette. I appreciate it." 

"Shall I have the cooks prepare dinner for you?" 

Felix shook his head. "I'll wait a little longer." 

Lunette nodded and walked off, leaving Felix alone once again as he acsended up the stairs into the castle 

The king found it odd that he wasn't feeling hungry or even faint from lack of food. Maybe his body was just used to it by now? 

Walking through the halls, Felix felt a chill run through his body. He picked up his pace and entered his bedroom, grabbing a blanket from his bed. He wrapped himself in it, hoping it would trap the heat leaving his body. 

The king entered his bathroom and looked in the mirror, his face becoming more pale. There was a tingling feeling on his chest so the king pressed down on the spot near where his heart would be. 

_A bruise maybe? But it doesn't hurt._

Moving the blanket to the side, Felix slowly untied the sash around his waist. He moved the red garment to the side which revealed a dark mark on his skin. 

The king's eyes grew wide as he leaned forward to get a closer look at the circular shaped mark where his heart would be. 

_No, no, no...this can't be..._

Felix looked down, not believing the mirror's reflection. He scratched at the cog shaped mark, hoping it was just some sort of trick of the mind, but it remained there. 

_This can't be good._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	5. × Five ×

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any typos.

_**K.SM** _

_**{Day 132}** _

It was warm. A red and orange glow surrounding Seungmin as he opened his eyes. The crackling of fire had the Ace sitting up, only to keel over in pain and he reached for his side. 

"Good, you're up." Jisung's voice echoed as the Ace of Hearts walked up to the fire with more sticks in his arms. 

"What happened?" Seungmin asked, looking down to realize his shirt was unbuttoned and a bandage was wrapped around his torso. 

"You almost died." Jisung replied, his voice calm yet distant as if his focus was elsewhere. "But you should be okay now. Luckily there was a first aid kit in your saddlebag." 

"Where are we?" Seungmin asked. 

"In a cave." Jisung replied. "Not sure exactly "where" we are. I sort of panicked and got us lost, so I thought we could take refuge here tonight." 

Seungmin let out a scoff as he lied back down to ease the pressure off of his wound. "Of course you would get us lost." 

Jisung looked genuinely offended, the Ace of Clubs knowing he hit a trigger. "You think I'm happy about this? Out of all the people I could get lost with, I'm actually kind of disappointed it's you." 

Seungmin chuckled. "Sorry, I didn't mean it seriously. Also thanks...for saving me." 

Jisung sat down in front of the fire, his body moving awkwardly as he did so. "You're welcome." 

The crackling of the fire filled the quiet space, and Seungmin let his eyes close. He hoped Chan and Felix were okay. 

He wondered what they were doing at the moment. If they thought their Aces were dead, or if they were out looking for them. 

"What do you think those things want?" Jisung asked, feeding the fire. 

"I don't know." Seungmin replied. "It's strange that they're taking people's hearts and leaving the rest of the body intact." 

"Do you think they eat the hearts?" Jisung asked. "It doesn't seem like they eat at all though because their mouths appear to be sown shut." 

Seungmin let out a sigh, not wanting to think about it now. "We can think on it more tomorrow. We should get some sleep." 

Jisung nodded but made no indication that he was going to lie down. Seungmin closed his eyes and was just going to ignore it since he couldn't force the other to get some shut eye, yet something bothered him. 

"Are you okay?" Seungmin decided to ask, his eyes still closed. 

"Yeah, don't worry about me." Jisung assured, making Seungmin's eyes crack open. 

"You don't sound so convincing." Seungmin replied. "Don't tell me you got injured too?" 

"Just a scratch." Jisung replied. "It's no big deal though. It's not as bad as your injury." 

"Show me." Seungmin said, his tone serious. He could tell Jisung was hiding something. 

"Seriously Seungmin, I'm fine." Jisung tried to reassure. "Let's just get some sleep so we can travel tomorrow." 

"Are you really going to get some sleep?" Seungmin asked, getting a nod in response. 

Letting out a sigh, Seungmin closed his eyes. He wasn't going to sleep yet until he knew the older fell asleep. 

He couldn't help but worry. Maybe his mind was still tired because his body was healing but he really didn't want the other to suffer alone. To be the one to be strong so Seungmin wouldn't worry. Unfortunately it had the opposite effect. 

The Ace heard the shuffling of clothes against the stone floor and he peeked his eyes open. Jisung had finally lied down. 

**×× ××**

_**8 Year Ago** _

_**{Day 204}** _

"You're too slow." Jisung observed, dodging a punch from the other. "You need to be quicker if you ever want to take down an opponent." 

Seungmin threw another punch, trying to prove he was listening and wanting to improve. 

His fist narrowly missed Jisung's cheek and the Ace of Hearts looked surprised which made Seungmin smile. 

"Great, just like that." Jisung said, throwing a fast punch of his own. 

Seungmin dodged it quickly, a gasp coming from the stairs. 

"Don't hurt him Sungie." Felix called from the stairs, the other princes watching their Aces fight one another. 

"Don't worry Felix, I doubt his punches would hurt me much." Seungmin replied with a smug grin, throwing another punch only for Jisung to grab his wrist. 

In a split second the world turned upside down and the air harshly left Seungmin's lungs. He gasped for air as he stared up at the clouds. 

"Stay focused." Jisung said, offering a hand down to the younger. "An enemy won't hesitate to bring you down or play dirty if you take your eyes off of them for even a second." 

Seungmin pouted, but let himself be helped up. He dusted off his pants though there probably wasn't anything on them. 

"Let's go again." Seungmin said, wanting to beat the other at least once. He wanted t 

Jisung smirked, bringing his fists up. "I'll let you start." 

Seungmin nodded, throwing his first punch towards Jisung's cheek. He missed, quickly having to dodge an attack by the other. 

Taking a step back, Seungmin let his mind quickly think up a strategy. Jisung was slightly stronger than Seungmin, but the younger was a bit quicker at planning out things on the spot. 

Jisung took a step forward with a punch, Seungmin moving to the side. He kicked out his foot so that it hit the back of Jisung's knee, the older collapsing to the stone slab. 

The Ace of Clubs quickly straddled Jisung's back before the other could flip over, locking the older's arms behind his back. The older let out a pained cry so Seungmin loosened his grip. 

"I win." Seungmin said victoriously, hearing a soft applause from the stairs. 

"Best two out of three." Jisung wagered, the younger not moving. 

"Fine, but loser has to do whatever the winner wants." Seungmin said, still not getting off of Jisung. 

"Deal." 

The younger Ace slowly got off of the other, noticing a small cut on the other's cheek. Red dotted up from the wound, creating a line of red on his cheekbone. 

"Jisung, you might want to..." Seungmin gestured towards his cheek, and Jisung mirrored the action. 

The Ace of Hearts pulled his hand away, blood staining his fingers. 

"Must've scratched it when you took me down." Jisung replied nonchalantly. 

Seungmin reached into his pocket and pulled out a white handkerchief. He stepped closer and brought it up to the bleeding cut, dabbing it gently. 

Jisung tried pushing the younger's hand away, but Seungmin continued to try and dot away the blood. 

"It's just a small scratch." Jisung said, trying to get the other to stop. 

"A scratch on your face is never a good thing to ignore. It could scar if you don't take proper care of it." Seungmin said, the other finally letting him wipe the blood. 

Jisung smiled. "You're worried about my face? Scared I won't be as handsome?" 

Seungmin scrunched up his face slightly. "No, I just don't want your face to be uglier than it already is. It would be bad if you ended up alone for the rest of your life because of a scar. I wouldn't hear the end of it." 

A snort came from behind Seungmin and Jisung glared over the younger Ace's shoulder. Seungmin assumed it was Jeongin that laughed. 

"One day you'll learn to appreciate my handsome face." 

"And that'll be the day the world ends." Seungmin replied, dodging a kick from Jisung. 

"I swear you two should just date already." Minho said. 

The two Aces looking at each other then away in disgust. 

"As if I'd date someone like Seungmin, I could do so much better." Jisung argued. 

"The world would really have to be in peril for that to happen." Seungmin replied. "And even then, I'd rather die single and alone." 

The four princes all looked to each other in silence. 

"I give them two years." Minho said. 

"I say one." Chan replied, matching the other's smirk. "What about you Felix?" 

The Prince of Hearts shrugged. "Maybe, five years? How about you Hyunjin? What do you think?" 

The Prince of Diamonds scoffed. "Is there money involved or are we just doing this for fun?" 

"I throw three coins in." Chan said. 

"I'll throw in three as well." Minho agreed, Felix nodding as well. 

"Then I guess I'll give it eight years." Hyunjin replied. 

"Whoa, that seems like a long time." Chan said. 

"Gives them time to think about who's going to ask first." Hyunjin replied. "I doubt either of them would get the courage till their at least twenty." 

Jisung and Seungmin exchanged disappointed glances. They couldn't believe their friends thought they would ever date each other, let alone make bets on it. 

Jisung looked away and Seungmin smiled. 

_ I guess eight years is a long time to think about it though.  _

**×××× ××××**

_**H.HJ** _

_**{Day 133}** _

It was cold. The sunlight peaking through the curtains creating a faint yellow glow. 

Hyunjin rolled over and reached over sleepily, his eyes still closed. He was hoping to cling to the warmth he was used to waking up next to, but all that his hand reached was air. 

The king opened his eyes, finding the spot beside him empty. His eyes darted to the bathroom but found the door was open and empty also. 

Sitting up, Hyunjin let his eyes wander the room. His heart beat a little heavier as he realized Jeongin was nowhere in sight which was unusual. Usually the Ace stuck close, like a duckling would it's mother. 

Not caring that he was still naked, Hyunjin pushed the covers aside and got stood up from the bed. 

_ We were just together last night. Where did he go?  _

Walking into his closet, Hyunjin put on some clean underwear and grabbed his silk robe. He tied it around himself and hastily made his way to the door. 

It wasn't like he cared if Jeongin wasn't there when he woke up. He didn't care that the other didn't even leave a note or anything saying where he went and when he would come back. No...Hyunjin didn't care. Why should he? 

Hyunjin reached for the door knob, his stomach churning. He took a step back when the door began to open on its own. 

Jeongin looked startled seeing Hyunjin so close but quickly smiled as he walked in holding a tray of food. 

"I was going to surprise you with breakfast in bed, but I guess you have somewhere to be?" Jeongin asked, noticing that Hyunjin was about to leave. 

The king shook his head, closing the door. "I was just going to see where you were. I thought maybe something was going on." 

Jeongin shook his head, the two going over to sit on the bed. 

The Ace handed Hyunjin the tray while grabbing the nightside table and dragging it over for them to use. Hyunjin set it down and the two began to eat, the king still finding his stomach upset. 

"The traders left this morning." Jeongin informed. "They should be back by seven tonight." 

Hyunjin nodded, focusing down at his plate. He was still sort of unsure why Hearts and Clubs had multiple murders and disappearances while Diamonds and Spades didn't. It just seemed strange to the King. 

Jeongin shifted his body beside Hyunjin, making the king glance over in curiosity. The Ace was reaching into his pocket, pulling out a small silk pouch. The thought of a gift made Hyunjin excited. 

"I was going to save these for later, but after last night I thought...maybe..." The younger was getting flustered and Hyunjin's eyes squinted, trying to understand what the other was trying to say. 

Jeongin slid the pouch closer to Hyunjin on the table and the king took it, hoping he didn't seem to eager. He opened it slowly, seeing a bright silver ring inside which he pulled out. 

It was a delicate looking band with a cloudy white gem stone. It was very pure and elegant looking which gave it a beauty that Hyunjin liked. 

"It's very pretty." Hyunjin said, examining the gift closer, his stomach finally feeling better. "Did you buy this yesterday too?" 

Jeongin nodded. "It's a set, so...I have the other one." 

Hyunjin looked over and noticed the matching ring on Jeongin's right ring finger. It went well with the other's personality and demeanor, but the gift had Hyunjin worried. He knew there had to be a deeper meaning behind the gift, one the king didn't want to encourage. 

"Thanks. I'll be sure add it to my collection." Hyunjin said, placing the ring back into the pouch making Jeongin's face fall a little. 

Hyunjin felt a little bad, but he wanted the other to know that what they had entitled no deeper feelings. While Jeongin seemed to want to take things more seriosuly than just sex, Hyunjin didn't want anything more. 

He didn't need anything more. 

The sooner the Ace realized this, the better. If Hyunjin finally lost the other along the way because his feelings were hurt, at least the king would still have his money and possessions. 

_ It's all I need.  _

**×× ××**

_**10 Years Ago** _

_**{Day 352}** _

Hyunjin poked at the food on his plate with his fork, the ticking clock the only thing keeping him company for the last week. 

It had been days since he'd seen his father or the Ace and his son. Even the beastmen were scarce around the castle since most of them patrolled the town or had left to protect the king. 

Hyunjin didn't mind at first since his father never really seemed to care about Hyunjin. They never even really saw each other, but the Ace and his son were different. Hyunjin was like another son to the Ace, the older man telling Jeongin that one day him and Hyunjin would both need to rely on each other. 

Ever since they were little Jeongin followed Hyunjin around like a little puppy or a duckling. It was a given that Jeongin and Hyunjin would always be around each other. It was incredibly noticeable now that the young Ace was gone. 

After the first day of being alone, the prince found he wasn't satisfied with anything. He was disappointed that no one wanted to stay or even bother to take him with them. 

It was boring alone. 

Getting up from his chair, Hyunjin left the dining room. He didn't bother eating anything since he found his stomach was upset. 

He walked down the hall and to his room where he closed the door gently behind him. 

The prince had plenty of toys to keep him company but none of them ever really filled the void Hyunjin felt when he was alone. 

Picking up a small stuffed animal from the floor, Hyunjin walked over to his bed. He sat down holding the toy, wondering when everyone would come back. 

"At least I have you." Hyunjin said to the stuffed bear in his hands. "You won't leave me, right? You won't disappoint me and disappear?" 

The prince set down the toy and stood up. 

"But even if you do leave, I can always buy another." Hyunjin said, walking over to his balcony. He pushed open the glass doors, only to be met with the winter cold. 

He proceeded to walk out onto the snowy balcony and look out at the garden. His eyes wandered over to edges where the hedges created a wall around the property. Hyunjin had always hated seeing it. He hated the way it made him feel everytime he looked out his window. 

_ One day...  _

A knock on the door had Hyunjin running inside. The door creaked open and Hyunjin felt his heart beating fast in anticipation. 

When he saw Folc's face his shoulders fell. 

"Sorry to disturb you, your highness, but I just got word that your father will be gone for a few more days." Folc said, creating a deeper void in Hyunjin's mind. "He wanted me to give you this." 

Folc held out another stuffed toy, Hyunjin taking it slowly. The lead beastman left and the prince stared down at the new toy. He walked over and placed it next to his old one on the bed. 

The gift made him a little bit happier. It gave him something new and distracted him from the loneliness he felt moments ago. 

The feeling was...nice. 

Hyunjin smiled to himself as he sat down beside the two stuffed animals. 

_ You'll always be here for me, right?  _

**×××× ××××**

_**H.JS** _

_**{Day 133}** _

Trying to keep your body still while on a horse was more difficult than the Ace thought it would be, it didn't help that Seungmin was holding tightly around Jisung's waist. 

Seungmin was obviously in pain behind the older, most of his weight leaned up against Jisung's back. It wasn't a surprise though, given the large gash in Seungmin's torso. The Ace of Heart's expected him to be slightly better than last night, but the younger seemed worse. Seungmin would definitely need medicine and proper treatment once they got back to Hearts. 

The horse jerked a little to the side and Jisung couldn't help but let out a slight wince as Seungmin's arms gripped tighter around him. 

After getting directions from a nearby camp, Jisung was pointed in the direction of home. They had been riding for a few hours now but they were almost back to Hearts. 

"How are you doing back there?" Jisung asked, keeping his eyes forward and trying not to think about how close Seungmin was to him. 

Lately, he found the other's presence comforting which was odd. Not that he would admit it outloud. After almost watching the other Ace die yesterday, Jisung was starting to realize that maybe Seungmin was more than just a friend. Seeing Seungmin becoming more and more pale as blood pooled around him made Jisung wonder what life would be like without him. 

It wasn't like they saw each other a lot to begin with but Jisung would miss the bickering and competitiveness he felt whenever the younger was around. 

"I'm fine." Seungmin replied. "But I think your medical skills could use some work. I think the bandages are coming undone." 

"I only had a limited amount of supplies to work with." Jisung argued, lightly jabbing the other with his arm. "If anything you're a bad patient for constantly picking at the bandage." 

Seungmin didn't respond, and Jisung glanced back to make sure the other was still alive. He expected some witty remark, but Seungmin looked tired. 

As the two approached Hearts' Gates, Jisung tried to readjust himself on the saddle. He stretched a little too far to the left, sending a shock of pain to his abdomen. The harsh stop outside of the kingdom gates didn't help the pain. 

Familiar lionesses seemed skeptical and defensive at first but upon seeing Jisung's face they relaxed, their faces now full of relief. 

"Jisung, you need to get to the castle right away." One of them said as the gate began to open. 

"What's going on?" Jisung asked, not liking their distressed tones. 

"We believe the king is ill." 

Jisung didn't like the sound of that. If Felix was like he was at Star Temple, then Jisung wouldn't know what to do. 

"Thanks." He said before continuing down the path. 

Not wanting to injure Seungmin or himself more, Jisung kept the pace of the horse slow though he did make her go a little faster. He could endure some pain if it meant getting to Felix sooner. 

"When we get to the castle I'll have our medical staff look at you." Jisung said, the villagers moving out of the way as the Aces rode through. 

"I don't need a-" 

"You're getting a doctor." Jisung's tone was sharp, leaving no room for arguing. 

"Fine, but only if you get looked at too." Seungmin replied, his head resting on Jisung's back. 

"I'm fi-ah!" Jisung let out a cry of pain and Seungmin squeezed the other Ace, proving his point. 

"You are not fine." 

Jisung knew there was no point in arguing. It would just make him a hypocrite and that was the last thing he wanted. 

Once they got to the castle, Jisung carefully slid down from the saddle, wincing as his feet hit the ground. He reached up slowly and helped Seungmin down, the other almost collapsing once he tried to stand. 

Jisung wrapped one of Seungmin's arms around his shoulders and helped support him up the stairs. 

The lionesses in the castle all swarmed them and Jisung had them take Seungmin to the medical wing. The Ace of Hearts wanted to see Felix before he got his own help. 

Approaching the king's bedroom, Jisung found the door was closed with Lunette standing outside. She looked over, her face looking relieved. 

"What's going on?" Jisung asked. 

"I'm not sure." Lunette replied. "We found him this morning collapsed in the garden. He was deathly cold and appeared to be unconscious, but his lips were moving like he was mumbling something. He wandered off again just an hour ago, so now I'm standing guard." 

Jisung nodded, wondering what was happening to his friend. They had never witnessed something like this before. 

_ He was acting strange. It kind of reminded Jisung of...  _

_ No, it couldn't be...  _

"You should go to the medical wing." Lunette said, her eyes at Jisung's abdomen. "You're bleeding." 

Jisung glanced down but didn't see any blood. 

"I can smell it." Lunette said. 

"I'll go get it fixed after I see Felix." Jisung assured, wanting to get inside the room to confirm what he was thinking. 

The lioness nodded and moved to the side to let Jisung enter the king's room. 

"I have to go check on the next round of patrols, will you be okay if I leave?" Lunette asked as Jisung's hand wrapped around the door knob. 

"Yeah, thanks a lot." Jisung replied. 

"Oh, I also have a letter for you." She said, reaching to her pocket. "It's from Spades." 

Jisung hesitantly took the letter and thanked her. He slipped it into his pocket to look at later. He really didnt want to deal with Spades right now. 

Lunette walked hastily down the hall and Jisung twisted the doorknob. He pushed the door open slowly and snuck in, closing it behind him. 

The Ace wasn't sure he what he was expecting to see when he went inside, but it definitely wasn't Felix standing in the center of his room in front of one of the monsters they had seen in the woods. 

Felix didn't seem scared at all. In fact, he was smiling up at the monster who was much too large to fit inside the room. Jisung was frozen with shock, his hand reaching for his sword once a ticking filled his ears. 

He watched as Felix reached out to take the monster's long, boney hand which finally got the Ace to move. He swung his sword down against the grey flesh, the blade cutting through it like butter. The monster's nonexistent eyes looked to Jisung for what felt like hours before disappearing. It had moved towards the balcony, it's body disappearing like it walked behind an invisible curtain.

Jisung reached out as Felix's body began to collapse, catching his back before he hit the ground. The actions caused him to wince at the pain near his stomach. 

The king felt cold once again, and Jisung made sure he was still breathing. 

"What's wrong with you?" Jisung mumbled, holding the king's unconscious body in his lap. 

The Ace tried to pick the other up, ignoring the pain he felt. He carried Felix over to the bed and placed him down gently on the mattress. 

When he moved his arms away, Jisung noticed something peeking out from under the king's clothes. He lifted up the top of Felix's clothes to get a better look at the unnaturally dark spot near his heart. 

Jisung's mouth dropped open, noticing the familiar shape. He placed the clothes back down and raced out of the room, heading for the medical wing. 

He needed to tell someone who would understand, and Seungmin seemed like he'd be the only one. He's the only one here that knows about the monsters they saw. 

_ This can't be happening.  _

_ Why is there a mark on him like all the murdered victims?  _

_ Is he next?  _

_ Is he going to go missing like the farmer's children?  _

Jisung was trying not to panic but with everything going on he was stressed out. 

Walking into the medical wing, he saw Seungmin getting wrapped up. The Ace looked away quickly not wanting to get caught staring at Seungmin's half naked body. He wouldn't hear the end of it if he got caught. 

"Is something wrong?" Seungmin asked, making Jisung glance over. The Ace of Club's was putting on his shirt, the bandages wrapped much better than what Jisung had done previously. 

"I need to talk to you. It's about Felix." Jisung said quietly, stepping closer to Seungmin was the only one hearing him. "I think something bad is about to happen." 

**×××× ××××**

_**L.MH** _

_**{Day 133}** _

The king was not happy. Not only had he found more missing things from the castle but he found them all in one of the beastmen's rooms. He didn't think any of his staff would steal from him but clearly he was wrong, which only fueled his paranoia. 

"Who's bed is this?" Minho asked. 

"It's Gene's." Leo replied. "I can't believe he was doing this. I apologize, your majesty." 

"It's not your doing." Minho replied. "But i would like Gene locked up for the time being until I figure out what to do." 

Leo nodded. "Understood, your majesty." 

The leopard left the room and Minho let out a sigh. He really didn't know what to do. With everything going on, it was like Minho couldn't calm his brain down long enough to think about anything rationally. 

"You look like you could use some sleep." A voice chuckled behind the king. 

"And you look like you could use some yourself." Minho replied as he looked at the King of Club's. He had dark circles under his eyes and his skin was pale, like he had seen a ghost. "What are you doing here?" 

"I wanted to tell you that Hearts and I saw some monsters yesterday." Chan said. "Ones we believe are the killers we're after." 

"Monsters?" Minho thought the word was ridiculous. They didn't have monsters. "I think maybe you need more sleep than I thought." 

"I'm serious Minho. There are these monsters like I've never seen before." Chan replied. "I know it sounds ridiculous, and I can't even describe them without you thinking I'm crazy." 

"It's a little too late for that." Minho replied, trying to move past the other king who was blocking the doorway. 

Chan's hand gripped Minho's wrist and the other king felt his face heat up at the close proximity. Their bodies were practically touching as they both were stopped in the doorway. 

Minho tried not to think about how close they were as Chan talked. 

"Minho, these monsters are real and we need to figure out a way to stop them. Felix was supposed to go to Diamonds and warn Hyunjin so we should all sit down and figure this out." 

"So you want us to go all the way back to Star Temple? After we just got back?" Minho questioned, not sure he wanted to go back. 

"Now that we know who are killers are, I think it would be a good idea." Chan replied. "We can pick everyone else up on the way there." 

Minho wanted to refuse but his mind was still running a million times a second. He could only nod hoping Chan would let him move away. 

"Great. Go get Changbin and I'll meet you out front." Chan said, releasing the younger king's wrist. 

"Where's Seungmin?" Minho asked, noticing the Ace's absence as he moved from the doorway. 

Chan didn't respond right away which was Minho's first indication something was wrong.

"Don't tell me he's-" 

"I'm not sure." Chan interrupted not wanting to hear the rest of the sentence. "Felix and I lost him and Jisung when we ran into the monsters. They didn't come to Hearts yesterday." 

Minho didn't want to suspect the worst but he felt bad. Minho couldn't imagine losing Changbin, even if the two were sort of distant at the moment. 

"We can stop at Hearts first then." Minho said. "We'll see if they're there now." 

Chan nodded but still looked rather down. Minho hoped the two missing Aces would be there and everything would be fine. It didn't help that Minho didn't see exactly what kind of monsters they were up against. 

"I'll go get Changbin. You can go wait out front." Minho said, walking towards the training grounds where he knew the Ace would be. 

Sure enough, Changbin was slicing at the wooden dummy. His focus shifted to the king though and he lowered his weapon. 

"We're heading over to the Kingdom of Hearts and Diamonds." Minho said. "Chan said he found the killers and wants a meeting back at Star Temple again." 

Changbin put his sword back go his waist and followed Minho towards the front of the castle. 

"You aren't really going to Hearts for an attack, are you?" Changbin asked, his voice low. 

"No, we're going there with Chan. Apparently they ran into monsters on the way back yesterday and the kings and Aces got separated. We just want to see if the Aces made it back safely." Minho said. 

The other was silent for the rest of their walk, which Minho didn't mind. He knew the Ace was probably still upset about his request from yesterday. It wasn't fair, the king knew this yet he still wanted to go through with his plans. 

"Ready to go?" Chan asked, mounting the saddle on his horse. 

Minho nodded and carefully got on his own horse, Changbin doing the same. The King of Spades informed the nearest beastman of his departure and the three left the castle. 

"You said that the monster were like nothing you've never seen before," Minho said to Chan, riding next to him. "Why do you think they're suddenly showing up now? Where did they even come from?" 

Chan shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. The only place I can think of that these monsters could've come from is the Void." 

"The Void? Isn't that supposed to be sealed off though?" Minho asked. 

The Void was an island that was sort of in the center of the three mainlands–Miroh, Aurora, and Magic. It's desolate and abandoned because of the immense amount of dark energy and force that plague it. Sailors even avoid going near it because of the dense fog and negative energy that surround it. 

It was supposedly sealed off long ago but maybe something had happened? Maybe there was a leak somewhere and now that negative energy was manifesting into physical beings? 

"Could be some sort of hole or something. I might write to the other lands and see if they're experiencing anything similar." Chan said. "If there is something wrong, we may need to find a way to seal the island up again." 

"There has to be a way to get rid of them from here though." Minho said. "I mean, they're here for a reason so there has to be a way to get rid of them on Miroh." 

"Then we'll have to figure out how soon. We aren't even sure why they're killing in the first place. Like why are they taking people's hearts?" 

"Maybe they eat them?" Changbin suggested. 

"Their mouths are sown shut though." Chan replied. 

"Then maybe they-" 

Minho got cut off by his horse freaking out. She moved to the right a little too quickly, and Minho almost slid off of the saddle. Strong arms caught the king under his armpits and helped get him back on, a slight blush of embarrassment spreading across his cheeks. 

"Thanks." Minho said to Chan who chuckled at the sight. 

"No problem." 

The three reached the kingdom gates and the leopards opened it for them to leave. 

"Do you think the lionesses will let me in at Hearts?" Minho asked. 

"They should as long as you aren't threatening anyone." Chan replied. 

Minho felt a shiver run down his back. He felt a very cold glare from behind but was too afraid to look back.

_ You're really going to hate me later.  _


	6. × Six ×

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see. Sorry for the long wait, I've just been in a bit of a writer's block with this story. I know where I want it to go, it's just how I want to get there that's a little difficult sometimes. 
> 
> This is not my best chapter, but I wanted to get something out for you all, so I hope it's bearable. I am focused on another story right now, so these updates will be super slow (if you couldn't tell already). I will finish this story though, I just don't know when. 
> 
> I appreciate all the positive feedback and reads and for your patience. I hope you all have a great week!❤

_**S.CB** _

_**{Day 133}** _

It was a challenge to get into Hearts, as expected. The lionesses were hesitant about letting Spades and Clubs in at once. Luckily, Chan was able to convince them that they were there only to talk. 

Changbin had only been to Hearts about two times during the day, both of which weren't very pleasant experiences. Minho and Felix always ended up in some sort of argument, ones Minho would ultimately win. 

Changbin always felt bad for the King of Hearts. Felix always seemed like he wanted to say more during arguments but never could. Like he silenced himself in order to maintain peace while taking everything that was said to him to heart. 

Felix always looked so beaten down and exhausted after meetings, and Changbin wished he could take it all away. He wanted to make the king's worries disappear and make him smile, but the Ace of Spades didn't know how. He didn't think he would or could be enough. 

The Town of Hearts was empty which was odd. He remembered Felix had them moved to the castle, but it was a strange feeling seeing the black banners with no people around. It was a real ghost town now. 

"Changbin, hurry up." Minho said, the gap between them growing larger as Changbin seemed to have zoned out. 

The Ace caught up to the two kings as they crossed over the bridge to Hearts' Castle. Changbin felt guilty for being there. He felt he couldn't face Felix after his talk with Minho. 

Even though he wasn't planning on betraying Felix in any sort of way, just the thought of it made the Ace feel like a betrayer already. 

The three stopped their horses, and Changbin slowly got down. They were greeted quickly by lionesses, and Changbin put his hands up to show he wasn't a threat. He wondered if his whole life with Felix would be this way. 

_ Will we always be greeted with hostility from both kingdoms? Will we get kicked out or killed because of our enemy status?  _

"We're here to see Felix." Chan said. 

"I assume you're also here for your Ace?" One of the lionesses asked. 

"Yes." Chan replied. "But we also need to speak with the king. It's important." 

"The king is currently feeling under the weather, but the Ace of Hearts is available. He's in the medical wing with the Ace of Clubs." Raiya said. "I can take you to them." 

The three followed the lioness into the castle, and Changbin trailed behind a little. He looked around the castle, comparing it to Spades. There was much more of a variety in terms of colors and was more of an open layout than Spades. It was...freeing. 

"You said the king was feeling ill," Changbin said, trying not to let the worry slip into his voice. "Is he okay?" 

"He should be fine." Raiya replied, opening a door for them. "The Aces are in here." 

Changbin fiddled with the tassel hanging from his sword, as they walked into the room. He wanted to see Felix with his own eyes but didn't want things to be obvious. 

He began to envy everyone around him, even Hyunjin. Changbin knew what went on between the King and Ace of Diamonds. He envied the proximity they could always have without hostility or suspicion. 

Even Minho could get close to Felix because they were both king's and could discuss things, but Changbin? He was just always a threat in the eyes of others. Always the one people grew nervous around because of his intimidating demeanor. 

Felix was the only one who saw the softer interior Changbin had. The only one who saw Changbin and didn't judge or pressure him. Felix was the only one who ever sat down and listened to the Ace's worries. 

"Seungmin." Chan said, rushing over to the small hospital bed where the younger Ace was wrapped up on. 

"What are you two doing here?" Jisung asked, his eyes narrowing at Changbin‐more so than usual. 

"We're here because we want another meeting at Star Temple." Minho replied. "Chan told us about the monsters." 

Changbin noticed Jisung bite into his lower lip, shifting his weight. 

_ Expressive as always.  _

"What's wrong?" Changbin asked, crossing his arms. 

"I'll explain on the trip." Jisung replied, somewhat somberly which was unusual for him. "Why don't you four go out front, and I'll get Felix." 

Changbin perked up, seeing a possible opportunity to get to see the King of Hearts. "I'll help." 

"No thanks." Jisung replied coldly, walking passed. "I can handle it." 

The Ace watched the other disappear, feeling like Jisung was colder towards him than usual. Sure, they got into an argument the other night, but he figured they'd be over it by now. Jisung wasn't one to hold serious grudges for long. 

"You three go ahead." Changbin said to the others in the room. "I'm going to make sure he doesn't need any help." 

"You sure?" Chan asked. 

Changbin nodded, leaving the room. He wasn't sure which room to go to, but he figured he'd run into Jisung at some point. 

Lionesses seemed to eye the Spade as he walked down the hall and Changbin tried not to seem threatening, but he looked intimidating by nature. 

Passing by one of the halls, Changbin stopped. He backed up, seeing Jisung supporting Felix as they walked slowly. The Ace of Spades went over quickly, noticing the glare from Jisung once again. 

_ Is it me he's mad at? Or my title?  _

"Changbin?" Felix asked, his voice sounding exhausted. "What are you doing here?" 

"I'm here with Minho and Chan." Changbin replied. "We need everyone back at Star Temple for a meeting." 

Felix nodded, his skin pale again like it was the other night. "Okay." 

Felix almost collapsed along with Jisung, so Changbin moved to help support the king on the other side, much to the Ace of Hearts' dismay. Jisung never said anything though so Changbin ignored the tension. 

The Ace of Spades moved his hand to hold Felix's, flinching slightly at the touch. 

_ His hand is so cold.  _

They walked outside, the three carefully making their way down the steps. As Changbin's hand gripped Felix's side a little tighter, he noticed how much skinner his waist was. He could feel the king's ribs without much pressure. 

_ Has he not been eating? Why hasn't he been eating?  _

"Is he okay to ride?" Chan asked already on his horse. 

"I'll just have him ride with me." Jisung replied, getting on to his own white horse. 

He reached down and Changbin helped the king up in front of the Ace. Felix leaned back against Jisung making Changbin's chest tighten at the sight. 

_ What's wrong with him? What happened in the woods that day that started all of this?  _

_...why can't I be the one to support him?  _

Changbin walked over and mounted the saddle of his horse. They needed to go to Diamonds which hopefully wouldn't be as bad as Changbin felt it would be. 

"So what's going on with him?" Minho asked as they left the castle grounds. 

Jisung looked around like he was making sure no one else was near. 

"You know how the victims have the mark on them?" Jisung questioned. Everyone nodded. "Felix has one." 

Changbin's eyes grew wide. 

_ Does that mean he's gonna die?  _

"What's worse, is I found one of those monsters in his room. It was about to take Felix." Jisung continued. "They can teleport or something like that." 

"So shutting down the kingdoms is basically useless then." Minho said. "We'll have to focus on figuring out what these monsters want and how to get rid of them." 

"Easier said than done." Seungmin replied. "We hardly even know when they show up." 

"Then we use Felix as bait." Minho said, the rest of the group either glaring or looking at the King of Spades like he was crazy. 

"You can't be serious?" Jisung questioned. "Is this your way of finally getting the chance to get rid of him?" 

Minho shook his head. "Look, I'm sorry I blamed you for stealing from me. I was in the wrong to do that, but what I'm going to propose isn't fueled by malice." Minho tried to assure. "If the monster approached Felix, then why wouldn't it do it again? Maybe we can catch one and it will help us solve whatever is happening." 

"And if we miss the opportunity, Felix is gone." Jisung argued. "I'm not taking that risk." 

Changbin wasn't even sure he wanted to do that. 

"I'll do it." Felix mumbled, loud enough for them to hear. "If it can help solve this issue then I'll be the bait. I don't want more innocent lives to be taken." 

"But–" 

"It's okay Jisung." Felix interrupted. "You'll be there to protect me, right?" 

While the question was said to Jisung, Felix's gaze was on Changbin. His eyes almost looked for reassurance from the Ace of Spades. 

"Of course." Jisung replied while Changbin nodded, hoping he really could help the King of Hearts. 

**×××× ××××**

_**Y.JI** _

_**{Day 133}** _

Jeongin stared at his reflection in the mirror. A dark mark had found its place in the juncture where his shoulder meets his neck. He ran his fingers over it, his skin becoming cold. It reminded him of Felix back in the woods a few days ago. 

_ How did this even happen?  _

There was a knock on the bathroom door and Jeongin quickly pulled his clothes back in place. 

"Yes?" Jeongin called out, walking over to open the door. 

"You're requested at the front of the castle. Apparently another meeting is being called." Folc said. 

Jeongin nodded. "Thanks Folc." 

"Are you okay?" Folc asked, following the Ace down the hall. 

"Yeah, just a little tired is all." Jeongin lied. 

"Take care of yourself while you're at the Temple." Folc said. 

"I will." Jeongin smiled. 

They approached the other's outside, Jeongin immediately noticing the King of Hearts slouched back against Jisung. Felix had definitely seen better days. 

Hyunjin was already on his horse talking with everyone else, his back facing Jeongin. The Ace climbed up on to his saddle greeting Seungmin who was next to him. 

"What's going on?" Jeongin asked. 

"We found our killers and Felix has a mark like all of the recent victims." Seungmin replied. 

"You mean like this?" Jeongin asked, pulling his clothes back to reveal his mark. 

"Exactly like that." Seungmin replied in surprise. "When did you get it?" 

"I just found it." Jeongin said, putting his clothes back in place. 

"Do you feel okay?" Seungmin asked, looking worried. 

Jeongin nodded. "I'm a little cold, but other than that I'm okay." 

Seungmin nodded. "Does anyone else know?" 

Jeongin shook his head, the group beginning to leave. "I'll tell them later, they seem focused on something else." 

"Well, if you need anything, let me know." Seungmin said. 

Jeongin nodded, his horse following behind Hyunjin. He looked down to the ring on his finger, his mind wandering back to earlier in the morning. His expression fell, the exchange only confirming what Jeongin already knew. 

_ I will never be his equal, will I? He'll never see me the way I want him to...  _

Jeongin pulled back the reins, noticing everyone else stopping. They were in the middle of a trail, and Jeongin wasn't sure why they were stopped. 

The Ace glanced around, his gaze locking on to the forest beside them. Just past the entrance, stood a tall monster. A pale, lifeless body was clutched in his long, slender hand. 

The monster's face met with Jeongin, and the Ace felt an invisible pull towards the creature. His mind grew foggy as a series of whispering voices suddenly filled his head, growing louder and louder with each second. 

_ Your heart is troubled.  _

~~_ Your heart is pure.  _ ~~

_ You're damaged.  _

~~_ You're perfect.  _ ~~

_ You won't be in pain much longer.  _

~~_ Pain will continue to torment you.  _ ~~

_ Follow us.  _

~~_ Run away.  _ ~~

_ Everything will be fine.  _

~~_ Everything will crumble. _ ~~

_ Just take my hand.  _

_ Don't you want the pain to go away?  _

A pull on the back of Jeongin's shirt stopped him from going any further, snapping him from the voices. 

He looked around, finding it was Minho that stopped him from walking off the trail. He couldn't even remember getting off of his horse. 

"Let me go." Felix begged, making Jeongin glance over to see the King of Hearts struggling against Jisung's hold. 

Felix seemed desperate and distressed. Jeongin wondered if he heard the voices too? If in a few days, Jeongin would end up in the same mental and physical state? 

"We need to get out of here." Chan said, snapping the reins to start moving again. 

Minho released Jeongin's shirt, and the Ace walked back to his horse. The monster was still staring at them, and Jeongin felt surprisingly calm as he followed the other's quickly. Felix had gone quiet and seemed to have passed out. 

"What just happened to you?" Minho asked. 

"I'm not sure." Jeongin replied, riding beside the King of Spades. "There were these voices in my head, and I don't really remember getting off of my horse and walking." 

"All we heard was ticking of a clock." Chan said. "You heard voices?" 

"Yeah, it was like all of these whispering voices all speaking at once." Jeongin said. "It was overwhelming, yet it wasn't scary. It was actually sort of...calming." 

"It's because you're marked too, isn't it?" Minho asked. "I noticed the mark on your neck when I pulled your shirt. It's like Felix's." 

"You're marked too?" Jisung and Chan asked at the same time. 

"I found it just before we left." Jeongin replied. "I didn't think it was too important to say anything about." 

Chan let out a sigh. "Do you remember what the voices were saying to you? Maybe it could help us figure out how to stop all of this?" 

Jeongin shook his head. He knew he heard voices, but he really couldn't remember the details. "I don't remember, sorry." 

"We'll deal with this once we get to Star Temple." Chan said, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

"In the meantime, I don't think you or Felix should be left alone." Minho said. "Can't have you disappearing on us." 

"And yet you want to use Felix as bait to catch one of those monsters." Jisung muttered. 

"And I still haven't changed my mind." Minho replied, his tone stern. "We can use them both if we need to."

"So they're both just pawns to you? You're sounding worse than Hyunjin." Jisung argued. "Their lives have value, you know?" 

Jeongin noticed Hyunjin shift on the saddle in front of him. The Ace even swore he saw the king turn his head back slightly, but maybe it was just wishful thinking. His mind did feel a little foggy still. 

"I never said they didn't. I'm just figuring out how they can be useful." Minho replied. "Felix seems to be mostly gone already and Jeongin may end up just like him if we don't act soon." 

"You didn't even ask Jeongin or Hyunjin if they would be okay with your plan." Jisung continued to argue. 

"At least-" 

"Enough." Chan interrupted. "You two need to relax and start getting along. We won't be able to solve anything if you two are constantly at each other's throats." 

"Maybe if Minho didn't look down on Hearts so much and kept a better eye on his Ace, I wouldn't be so pissed off." Jisung replied, making Jeongin curious. 

"You should be glad I even told you what was going on." Minho argued. 

"What did you tell him?" Changbin asked, his expression much more threatening than usual. 

_ What's happening?  _

"I only told him what I needed to." Minho replied, his attention turning to Changbin. "Believe me, you'll be better off without a Heart in your life." 

Jeongin's mind put two and two together, surprised that Changbin and Felix were dating. He never thought they would get along well because they seemed a bit opposite. Jeongin was a bit jealous. 

Tensions continued to rise as the trip went on, and Jeongin could feel everything beginning to crumble. Not only between kingdoms but within the kingdoms themselves. 

Changbin was arguing with Minho, Jisung was now arguing with Chan over something, leaving the rest to quietly observe. 

Jeongin would be surprised if they even survived long enough to figure out their current issue. 

_ If those monsters don't kill us first, we'll just end up killing ourselves.  _

**×××× ××××**

**_B.C_ **

**_{Day 133}_ **

Chan was not expecting things to go the way they did. They had made it to Star Temple in one piece, yet no one dared to speak when they arrived. The heavy tension prevented anyone's mouth from moving. 

Jisung had disappeared with Felix, determined to keep him as far away from Changbin as possible. Jeongin was with Hyunjin somewhere else in the temple, and Seungmin and Changbin were in the courtyard, leaving Chan and Minho together. 

"I want to set up a plan tonight for catching one of these monsters." Minho said. "The sooner we get started the better." 

"I'm not sure we should start this just yet." Chan replied, not wanting more animosity to grow. "I think we need Jisung to–" 

"Felix was okay with it." Minho said. "That's all the confirmation I need to move forward with this plan." 

Chan knew there was no talking Minho out of something. He was stubborn to the core which could be helpful but also difficult. 

"Minho, I know you want to get this solved and move on, but we can't just rush into things." Chan said. "Trust me when I say that things will only go wrong this way. We need a solid plan." 

"And I have one." Minho replied. "I'm starting to feel like you're against me right now, Chan." 

"I'm not." Chan assured, not wanting to get on the other's bad side. "I just want to help you see that nothing will get solved properly if we go through with a rushed plan right now." 

Minho stayed quiet for a few seconds as if contemplating Chan's words. He nodded slowly and the King of Clubs hoped Minho would see how wrong everything could go. 

"I still want to try and get one of these monsters caught tonight," Minho said. "But I'm willing to work out a full proof plan with everyone else." 

Chan felt himself relax in relief a little. "Great, I'll go get the others." 

The King of Clubs ran off to fetch Hyunjin and Jeongin first, finding them out in the courtyard with Changbin and Seungmin. 

"We're all having a meeting." Chan announced. "So please come back inside." 

Seungmin Hyunjin and Jeongin all went inside without hesitation but Changbin stopped the King of Clubs outside. 

"Chan, you need to talk some sense into Minho that Felix isn't a bad guy." Changbin said, his voice unusually desperate. 

"I've been trying to tell him that for years, but he never listens." Chan replied with a slight chuckle. 

"You have to keep trying." Changbin said. "You're the only one he listens to." 

"And this is the one thing he never seems to hear." Chan replied, wrapping an arm around the Ace and leading him inside. 

He wished he could help, but Felix and Minho's animosity seemed to run deeper than just titles. He wasn't sure what happened or if he was correct, but if they were just basic kingdom enemies, they would probably be getting along a little better. 

Walking to the bedrooms, Chan knocked on the closed door. It took a few seconds but the door slid open, and Jisung blocked the way in. 

"We're all having a meeting to come up with a stable plan." Chan said. "Is Felix awake?" 

"Yeah, he is." Jisung replied, his tone unreadable. "He's just a little out of it though." 

The Ace opened up the door more and Chan saw Felix sitting on the floor, wrapped up in a blanket. The King of Hearts was mumbling something under his breath and Chan grew more concerned. 

The Ace walked over and crouched down. He helped bring Felix to his feet, supporting the other with his body. Chan offered to help but Jisung refused it, slightly limping as they headed in the direction of the meeting room. 

When they got there, everyone else was waiting in silence. They weren't even looking at each other. 

"Okay, so if we go through with a plan tonight, we need to get through this meeting without any distractions." Chan said. "Can we do that?" 

The group collectively nodded. 

"Great. Right now we know that Felix and Jeongin are "lured" towards these monsters, so we are going to use that to our advantage to catch one of these things." Chan said. "But, we need to create a plan on how we'll go about this safely."

"Felix said he'll do this, but I want his safety to be top priority." Jisung said. "If something begins to go wrong I will not hesitate to end the plan." 

"Okay. Any ideas on how we're going to catch these monsters?" Chan asked. 

"There's some trap nets stored here." Seungmin said. "We can use those." 

"Are they big enough?" Minho asked.

"Chan and I can fix a few together to make a larger net." Seungmin replied. "We just need to figure where we would place them." 

"We can fix it on the ground in front of where Felix will be." Minho said. "We can have two or three people in charge of pulling the rope while the rest of us are stationed around in case something goes wrong." 

Chan looked to Jisung, the Ace looking hesitant still. "I want to be paired with Minho." 

The King of Spades and Ace of Hearts exchanged glances and Minho nodded in agreement. 

"Changbin you go with Hyunjin, Jeongin and Seungmin, you'll be with me." Chan said. "We can be in charge of the rope." 

"And what happens if our plan starts to go astray?" Hyunjin asked. 

"Then we improvise." Chan replied. 

"Not much of a plan then, is it?" Jisung questioned. "But when are we planning to do all this?" 

"We'll set up the trap before it gets dark." Chan said. "Then we'll have Felix sit and wait for one to show up." 

"And if one doesn't show up?" Hyunjin questioned. 

"Then we'll keep trying until one shows up." Minho replied. "This could be our only shot at figuring out why these monsters are here and what they are doing." 

"You shouldn't hurt them." A voice muttered, Chan looking to see Felix. "They just want to survive." 

"And their survival is by killing us." Minho pointed out. "It's either them or us." 

"It's not their survival. They don't want to kill on purpose." Felix continued to say, Chan observing the other king. 

He wanted to make sure this was "Felix" speaking and not one of those creatures. Possession or control was not out of the question since they still didn't know anything about the creatures. 

"They are trying to help those who are troubled." Felix said. "They promise a painless escape while also benefiting themselves." 

"Felix, they're trying to take you and Jeongin." Jisung replied. "They've killed so many of our people that had families of their own. Do you really think they are trying to help us?" 

Before Felix could argue, Minho spoke up. And for once, Chan thought he actually saw some sympathy flash in his eyes towards Felix. 

"Chan, why don't you and Seungmin go make up a bigger net. We'll stay here and deal with Felix." Minho said. 

The two Clubs nodded and left the room to go grab the trap nets in the storage room. 

The events of today were strange and Chan was becoming more confused and frustrated as the day went on. There was so much he wanted answers to but never got. 

Now, Chan worried for his friends' safety. Sure they didn't always get along but he still valued and respected their lives. He couldn't imagine one not being around. 

As much as Hyunjin and Minho acted to be indifferent or hostile, Chan knew they felt the same amount of fear and concern deep down. It had been the eight of them togther for practically their whole lives, whether it was good or bad. 

He knew it wouldn't be the eight of them forever, but he wasn't ready to change that just yet. 

He just wasn't ready... 

**×××× ××××**

_**L.F** _

_**{Day 133}** _

Night had arrived, and Felix was trying hard to keep himself sane. All day he had these voices in his head all talking at once. Sometimes they would be quiet whispers and easily ignored, but other times they would be deafening screams and cries. It was exhausting trying to filter everything out and stay coherent, but like everything else, Felix tried his best. 

The King of Hearts knew what was going to be happening with the plan, but he still felt...distant from it all. The other's seemed to move in slow motion around him, almost like a dream. 

Jisung hugged Felix closer to him as they sat up against a tree trunk. The Ace was warm, so Felix clung to him to try and absorb his body heat. 

"Do you really think this is going to work?" Hyunjin questioned as he sprinkled dirt and leaves over the large net. "I'm not saying these monsters are going to be the smartest things, but I'm sure they aren't blind to the obvious either." 

"Which is why you should make sure it's covered up good." Minho replied, sass lingering in his tone. 

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jisung asked, looking down at Felix. 

The king nodded. "They won't hurt me. I know they won't." 

"Even if they won't, I'm not letting them take you away." Jisung replied. "I don't want that on my belt because Seungmin won't let me hear the end of it, so you better not let yourself get taken either." 

Felix chuckled and nodded. 

_ Even if I do disappear, I know you'll do good in this world. You'll have Seungmin to help keep you on track.  _

"I won't." Felix replied. 

"Okay, I think we're ready." Chan called out, standing up from one of the corners of the net. Jeongin walked over and Chan tied their wrists together so Jeongin wouldn't get affected like earlier. 

One of them as bait was good enough for now. 

Everyone started moving into their respective places to hide, and Jisung carefully moved his body away from Felix's, propping the king up against the tree trunk. 

The King of Hearts already missed the warmth the other provided him. He felt weak and tired as he rested against the tree, the dark and silence not helping. 

The voices in Felix's head grew slightly louder now and were harder to ignore. 

_ Your heart is troubled.  _

~~_ Your heart is perfect.  _ ~~

_ You should rest. _

~~_ You should stay awake.  _ ~~

_ They left you alone.  _

~~_ They are still here.  _ ~~

_ They hate you.  _

~~_They love you_.  ~~

Felix shook his head to try and get rid of the voices, but they only grew louder. His eyes squeezed shut. 

~~_ You should leave.  _ ~~

_ You should stay.  _

_ Are you cold?  _

_ Are you in pain?  _

_ We want to help you. _

~~_ We want to hurt you.  _ ~~

_ They want to hurt you.  _

_ They are not your friends.  _

"Felix!" 

At the sound of Jisung's name, Felix opened his eyes. In front of him stood the large creature, his slender hand reaching down in front of Felix. 

_ Take it.  _

_ Take it.  _

_ Take it.  _

_~~Don't.~~ _

Felix tried to block out the voices in his head, but was unable to take his eyes away from the hand in front of him. It moved closer to him before suddenly getting pulled away, the net catching it's arm. 

The voices screamed in Felix's head and the king pressed the sides of his head, his eyes squeezing shut again. He wanted it to go away. Wanted to be left in complete and utter silence. 

_ We will save you from this torment.  _

Felix opened his eyes when he felt something warm wrap around his body. He was lifted from the ground and Felix could hear his name being yelled. 

The King of Hearts' breathing became unsteady and rapid as he saw Jisung rushing over, sword in hand. Felix was feet off of the ground and he remembered what Jisung had said to him. 

Some of the others were trying to keep the first creature in the net while the others tried to stop the second from taking Felix, the king now struggling against the grasp around his body. 

The look on Jisung's face hurt Felix, but Changbin's expression hurt a little bit more. He knew he was the only one Changbin really confided in. The only one Changbin really felt love from and that always hurt Felix. Without him, what would happen to the Ace of Spades. At least Jisung would still have Seungmin, but Changbin? Who would help him when he needed it most? 

The two Aces were both so desperate, so angry, so helpless as the monster stepped passed them, Felix still in hand. 

The king could still see Jisung and Changbin both running towards him, the voices in his head trying to distract him from fighting against the creature while his own conscience tried to fight back. 

_ They hate you.  _

~~_ They love you.  _ ~~

_ They don't care.  _

~~_ They want to help you.  _ ~~

_ You're just a pawn.  _

~~_ You're more than that.  _ ~~

Felix felt tears roll down his cheeks, as his vision began to blur. The voices taking over all thought and focus. He could still see Jisung and Changbin both running, both desperate to reach him, yet he was getting further from their grasp. 

The king looked up at the creature and back to his friends. Their lips moving to what Felix assumed was his name being called out, yet he couldn't hear their voices. Not over the hundreds of other ones ringing in his ears. 

His friends and boyfriend's faces were the last thing Felix saw before his vision went completely dark, his body cold. 


End file.
